2025-26 MLB Offseason Recap: San Francisco Giants

Luis Arraez, meanwhile, is a multi-time batting champion who puts the ball in play in a way that very few do in MLB today. A short, quick swing, Arraez has been able to find holes throughout his career.

Arraez played mostly at first in San Diego, which will change heading into 2026. He’s penciled in as a second baseman, a position that’s familiar to him. However, Arraez has never been known to be an average defender at second, as the range has long been a problem.

The Giants bolstered the rotation around Logan Webb and Robbie Ray, adding Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser. Houser is a plus groundball pitcher, while Mahle is the exact opposite. Both had successful seasons in 2025.

Additionally, the Giants sought a lot of bullpen help. San Francisco’s relief core will look very different heading into 2026, especially without Camilo Doval (traded midseason last year) and Randy Rodriguez, the latter of whom will spend the year recovering from elbow surgery.

The Giants also brought over Rowan Wick, the former Cub who spent the last two years as a reliever with Yokohama in the NPB. His 2025 numbers were pristine, as the hard-thrower struck out 58 over 47 innings and didn’t allow a home run. However, he won’t be available to start the year as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Jason Foley and Sam Hentges both come over from the AL Central. Foley, like Wick, will start 2026 on the injured list. Hentges, a stingy lefty with the Guardians, missed all of last season due to recovery from multiple surgeries.

Losses

• SP Mason Black
• 1B Wilmer Flores
• C Andrew Knizner
• RP Joey Lucchesi
• C Tom Murphy
• 1B Dominic Smith
• SP Kai-Wei Teng
• SP Justin Verlander

Wilmer Flores’ tenure in San Francisco is over, ending what was a fun one filled with big moments. However, with the Giants set at first base, there wasn’t any room for Flores to slot in on the team.

Justin Verlander, who pitched well in the second half last season for San Francisco, is back with the Tigers for 2026.

San Francisco also moved on from young pitcher Kai-Wei Teng, a potent arm who can get a lot of swings-and-misses but also has his moments negatively. More specifically, the fact that Teng walked a lot of batters at the MLB level.

The Giants traded Teng to the Astros in January 2026.

Overview

San Francisco, as well as the other teams in the NL West, will be given the monumental task of trying to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Granted, the Giants don’t need to win the division to make the playoffs. A Wild Card spot, which has eluded the team over the last three seasons, is very much possible. But to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2021, it will help to notch wins against not just the Dodgers but also the other contenders in the division.

This offense, on paper, looks good as it has in years. And with Bader in center, the Giants’ defense out in the outfield could be very much better.

It will come down to pitching. Logan Webb and Robbie Ray are two of the best starters in the National League. But…the Giants will need more than those two. Both Mahle and Houser have the potential to fill in the gaps of that rotation.