The Dodgers may be the obvious menace in Tarik Skubal’s free agency, but the Giants at least have one thing working in their favor: geography.
Los Angeles is out of the playoffs, and that always counts as good news in San Francisco. But the bigger looming question is whether the Dodgers will go get the left-handed ace who is set to be the top free agent on the market.
The assumption, of course, is that they probably will. The Dodgers sign basically every major free agent with what looks like endless money, a situation that could be tied to nefarious business practices from owner Mark Walter.
Lockout, anyone?
Even with LA looming as the favorite, the Giants can point to a real if modest edge. They are the closest team to where Skubal grew up.
Skubal is 29 and a two-time Cy Young Award winner. He was born in Hayward, California, and grew up rooting for the Oakland A’s, which fits for someone from the East Bay. If there’s any Bay Area nostalgia in him - if he wants to come home - then San Francisco is the only nearby option now that the A’s are headed to Las Vegas.
That said, this is hardly a game-changing recruiting pitch. Money will matter more, and so will the chance to join a contender. Free agency usually comes down to those realities, and a hometown connection is just one piece of the puzzle.
And that brings the conversation back to San Francisco’s biggest obstacle: whether the Giants would actually pay what it would take. History suggests probably not.
In recent years, Giants chairman Greg Johnson has been blunt about the team’s reluctance to hand out top-dollar deals to premier free-agent starters. Maybe the 2026 season changes that.
Maybe not.
The Giants also have to reckon with the simple fact that they’re not exactly selling instant contention right now. It would be a tough ask to outbid richer clubs while also trying to convince Skubal to join a team that won 65 games this season.
So yes, there is a path, however narrow, and it runs through the Bay Area. Giants fans know better than to get carried away with a chase like this. Still, if Skubal wants a return home, San Francisco is the one club that can make that argument.
In Other News...
Rockies Pitching Overhaul Keeps Taking Shape Behind The Scenes
The offseason picture around the Giants is already starting to take shape, and it reaches well beyond their own roster. San Francisco is among the clubs scouting Japanese right-handers Hiromi Itoh and Taira, both expected to be posted this winter, a reminder that the front office is tracking every possible avenue to add pitching depth as it looks ahead to 2026. On the other side of the division, the Dodgers have openly heard from Alex Vesia and Enrique Hernandez about a possible return in free agency, a sign that the market around the West is beginning to stir.
For the Giants, the pitching need is hardly a mystery. Randy Rodriguez is in the Arizona Fall League as part of his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and the club is expected to pursue additional bullpen help even with his rehab moving along. Around the division, the Rockies are reshaping their own pitching operation too, considering a new coaching role tied to advance reports and in-game adjustments after moving on from pitching coach Alon Leichman after just one season. The dominoes are already falling in different directions, and San Francisco will be watching closely as the market for arms takes form. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Have A Matt Chapman Question They Cant Ignore
Matt Chapmans first season in San Francisco did not play out the way the Giants envisioned when they committed to him, even if the glove stayed dependable. His offense slipped during the 2026 season, finishing with a .235/.324/.368 line, seven home runs and 42 RBIs before a core muscle injury ended his year and sent him to season-ending surgery.
Now the Giants have to balance what Chapman still brings defensively with the uncertainty around his health and production moving forward. With a long-term commitment on the books, the organization is expected to be more careful with him in 2027, hoping that a lighter workload can help preserve both his availability and the bat that has become too important to leave to chance. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Need To Decide How Aggressive To Get In The Outfield
The Giants have spent the early part of the offseason weighing how much they want to push the outfield upgrade, and the decision matters because last seasons production in that spot lagged behind the rest of the roster. Jung Hoo Lee gives them a clear piece to build around, but there is still room for competition behind him, with Drew Gilbert and Jonah Cox among the young players trying to claim roles and show they belong in the mix.
The choices now come down to fit as much as talent. San Francisco could take a more targeted route with a platoon bat such as Randal Grichuk or Lane Thomas to help against left-handed pitching, or aim higher with everyday options like Randy Arozarena or Seiya Suzuki, which would bring a different level of cost and roster pressure. However the Giants sort it out, the outfield remains one of the clearest places where they can change the look of the lineup, and the front office has to decide how aggressive it wants to be. [Read more 🡒]