The San Francisco Giants spent 2026 chasing answers on the mound, and the season ended with more questions than solutions. They finished 65-97, landed fourth in the NL West, and their pitching staff was a clear problem area after posting the 23rd-best team ERA in the majors.
San Francisco has already made one move to address that weakness, picking up Tony Neubeck from the Washington Nationals. But the bigger conversation now is whether the Giants could swing far higher than that.
According to Bob Nightengale on Foul Territory, San Francisco could be in the mix for Tarik Skubal if the left-hander reaches free agency. Nightengale was asked about possible mystery teams for Skubal and pointed to the Giants as a club with the financial muscle to at least be considered.
“Would the San Francisco Giants be a mystery team? They got the money.
That's possible, but I don't see a small-market, mid-market team jumping in. I know someone threw out the White Sox earlier.
That was kind of laughed at. So no, I don't think we will have a mystery team.
When you're talking about that kind of money, you are really talking about three or four teams that are going to be in this thing,” Nightengale said. “It's just two rich for a lot of teams' financial comfort.”
For now, the Los Angeles Dodgers are still viewed as the favorite to land Skubal, with the possibility of bringing him back after trading for him during the season. The New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Philadelphia Phillies are also among the teams with the financial ability to make a run at him.
Skubal is expected to be in line for a deal worth around $400 million, a price tag that would likely push many smaller-market clubs out of the picture. There is also a chance he signs before the CBA expires on December 1.
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Higashioka is now a free agent after the Rangers declined his 2027 mutual option, which puts him squarely in the range of the kind of short-term, modestly priced deal the Giants prefer in this spot. Any move would still hinge on his medical evaluation and the contract language, so the idea makes sense on paper even if the final details remain the real hurdle. [Read more 🡒]