Giants Seek Upgrades After Quiet Winter Meetings in Florida

The San Francisco Giants concluded the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, without making significant roster changes, leaving fans wondering about the team’s strategy moving forward. The sole transaction for the Giants was the acquisition of catcher Daniel Susac, who may compete for the backup catcher position. Despite the lack of major moves, Giants’ management expressed optimism about future possibilities.

General Manager Zack Minasian highlighted the team’s discussions during the meetings, stating, “I don’t know if there was much more we could do as far as conversations, meetings. We feel like some things are heading in the right direction.” While the Giants entered the Winter Meetings seeking both starters and relievers, they managed only to secure left-handed reliever Sam Hentges as a free agent.

The current starting rotation for the Giants includes three confirmed pitchers: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Landen Roupp. However, two spots remain unfilled. The team has a number of promising young pitchers, including Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, Carson Whisenhunt, Kai-Wei Teng, and Trevor McDonald, but still lacks experienced arms capable of delivering quality innings. The potential of trading top prospect Bryce Eldridge for pitching remains uncertain.

Birdsong, 24, is viewed primarily as a starter, despite facing challenges with command last season, which saw him walk 67 batters over 104 2/3 innings in the major and minor leagues. “We see him as a starter still,” said former player Buster Posey. “With the stuff that he has, we still see the possibility of a guy that can pitch at the front of the rotation.”

Strengthening the bullpen is another priority for the Giants, especially following the loss of All-Star Randy Rodríguez, who will miss the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Ryan Walker began the season as the Giants’ closer but struggled with inconsistency before regaining a solid role after injuries impacted the lineup. Minasian emphasized the importance of Walker, stating, “He’s one of our more proven arms, so hopefully it was a valuable experience for him.”

While the Giants could have utilized the Rule 5 Draft to enhance their bullpen, they opted to focus on acquiring Susac instead. Minasian explained, “It can be difficult with pitchers in the Rule 5 with the amount of pitchers you end up using over the course of the season.” The decision indicates a strategic focus on securing players who are ready for immediate contributions.

Despite a challenging previous spring training due to a lack of left-handed relief options, the Giants now have a diverse range of lefty arms, including Hentges, Erik Miller, Reiver Sanmartin, and Eric Gage. Minasian expressed a more confident outlook regarding the bullpen, stating, “I don’t know with pitching if you ever feel covered, but I feel much better about it.”

On the offensive side, the addition of Susac addresses a lesser priority, but the Giants still require a right fielder to complement Heliot Ramos in left field and Jung Hoo Lee in center field. Former Giants player Mike Yastrzemski recently signed a two-year, $23 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, leaving San Francisco to explore other options.

While second base is not as critical as pitching or right field, it remains an area for potential improvement. Casey Schmitt is currently the starter, but the organization may seek additional depth or talent at the position.

As the Giants depart Florida, they have not made any significant moves that would transform their roster. The coming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the groundwork laid during the Winter Meetings will translate into impactful changes. Minasian concluded, “Some things, still working on. Some things, we feel like maybe there’s a path. We’ll see where it goes. Right now, it’s still kind of anyone’s guess.”