Giants Aim for Roster Improvement After Quiet Winter Meetings

The San Francisco Giants concluded the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, without making any significant roster changes, aside from acquiring catcher Daniel Susac from the Minnesota Twins. As the team heads into the off-season, they face a pressing need for both starting and relief pitchers, with their current roster remaining largely intact since the season’s end.

While the Winter Meetings featured notable moves from other organizations—such as Kyle Schwarber re-signing with the Philadelphia Phillies and both Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso departing the New York Mets for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles, respectively—the Giants were unable to secure any high-impact transactions. The only addition to their roster was Susac, who may compete for the backup catcher position.

General Manager Zack Minasian expressed optimism despite the lack of big signings. “I don’t know if there was much more we could do as far as conversations, meetings,” he said on Wednesday. “We feel like some things are heading in the right direction. It’s tough to handicap when a deal’s going to get done, but we try to put our best foot forward, and I think we’ve shown we’re willing to be aggressive.”

The Giants entered the meetings with a clear agenda: to bolster their pitching staff. Currently, their rotation includes three confirmed starters: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Landen Roupp. However, they still require two additional starters and have yet to address these gaps through free agency, leaving left-handed reliever Sam Hentges as their sole signing.

The organization is counting on several young pitchers, including Hayden Birdsong and Blade Tidwell, to fill these roles. Birdsong, 24, is seen as a potential starter, though he struggled with command issues last season, walking 67 batters over 104.2 innings across the majors and minors. “We see him as a starter still,” said former catcher 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.”

The bullpen is another area of concern for the Giants. With Randy Rodríguez set to miss the entire season due to Tommy John surgery, the team requires one or two high-leverage arms to enhance their late-inning options. Ryan Walker began the season as the closer but experienced a tumultuous year. Minasian remains hopeful that Walker’s experiences last season will prove beneficial moving forward.

The Giants opted out of the Rule 5 Draft, which could have provided additional relief pitching options. Minasian explained that the team assessed potential picks but ultimately deemed that acquiring Susac was a more strategic choice. “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,” he said, emphasizing the need for players who can contribute at the major league level.

On the position player front, the addition of Susac is seen as a step toward addressing a less critical need. The Giants still require a right fielder to complement Heliot Ramos in left field and Jung Hoo Lee in center field. Although former Giant Mike Yastrzemski would have been an improvement, he recently signed a two-year, $23 million deal with the Atlanta Braves.

Looking ahead, the second base position remains a secondary concern, with Casey Schmitt currently holding the spot and Tyler Fitzgerald having been the Opening Day starter. The Giants may further explore options to strengthen this area as well.

As the Giants leave Florida, they did not execute any major trades or signings that would drastically alter their roster. The upcoming weeks will be crucial in determining whether the groundwork laid during the Winter Meetings translates into effective roster enhancements. “Some things, still working on,” Minasian stated. “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.”