Hot Stove League Update: Giants Sign Sam Hentges

Sam Hentges:  If you are like me, his name was only vaguely familiar and you had to look him up.  Anyway, the Giants signed someone named Sam Hentges to a $1.4 M major league contract which filled up their 40-man roster, which means the next player they sign to a major league deal will bump someone off the 40-man roster and it will almost certainly not be Hentges.  So, who is Sam Hentges?

Sam Hentges LHP.  DOB:7/18/1996.  6' 6", 245 lbs.  No options, free agent 2028.

2024(Guardians):  0-0, 3.04, 23.2 IP, 10.27 K/9, 1.90 BB/9, 1.35 GB/FB.  

Big lefty reliever who put up elite numbers with the Guardians for 4 seasons.  A shoulder injury in 2024 led to surgery and he missed all of the 2025 season.  He also underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee in Sept. 2025.  He is expected to be healthy enough to start spring training on time and compete for a bullpen spot for the regular season.  Still, it's a bit unsettling that he has yet to prove he's healthy.  There is tremendous upside if he is, especially with team control of his contract for 2 additional seasons.  Interesting the Giants elected to non-tender Joey Lucchesi with a MLBTR predicted salary of $2 M but are willing to pay Hentges $1.4 M with no guarantee he'll be healthy enough to pitch.

Happy Thanksgiving

 Hey team!  Happy Thanksgiving everybody!  I am thankful for this blog, having the ability to write down my thoughts in a way readers seem to appreciate and for you all who read and add your comments which all makes this the best Giants oriented blog out there.

Hot Stove League Update: Blue Jays Sign Dylan Cease

 Dylan Cease has something to be thankful for tomorrow, a 7 yr./$210 M contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Although Cease was ranked as one of the top free agents on this year's market, his case is not without concerns.  Let's break it down:

Dylan Cease RHP.  DOB:  12/28/1995.  6' 2", 200 lbs.  8-12, 4.55, 168 IP, 11.52 K/9, 3.80 BB/9, 0.88 GB/FB, 11.9 HR/9.  

Dylan Cease can be counted on to take the ball every 5'th game rain or shine.  He's made at least 32 Starts for the 5 seasons although he does not go deep into game averaging just over 5 IP/Start.  While his high K rate is an asset it, along with a relatively high walk rate, contributes to early exits.  As for why his ERA has underperformed his peripheral stats for the third season in a row, the walks, flyball tendency and generous HR/FB are contributing factors.

Comment:  Although there is a lot to like in Dylan Cease, 7 yr/$210 M is a big commitment to a pitcher who consistently underperforms their secondary stats.  

Hot Stove League Update: Cardinals Trade Sonny Gray....to the Red Sox

 The Chaim Bloom Cardinals rebuild started in earnest with a salary dump trade of Sonny Gray to the Red Sox for two pitching prospects plus another PTBNL or cash.  Speaking of cash, the Cardinals are sending $20 M to the Red Sox to cover part of Gray's hefty salary, more on that later.  Let's break down the players involved first:

Sonny Gray RHP.  DOB:  11/7/1989.  5' 10", 190 lbs.  14-8, 4.28, 180.2 IP, 10.01 K/9, 1.89 BB/9, 1.28 GB/FB.  Contract:  1 Yr/$35 M with $5 M buyout on a $30 M club option for 2027(Reworked in the trade to 1 yr/$31 M with a $10 M buyout on a mutual option for for 2027).

Gray's main positive is durability.  He averaged 177 IP over his last 3 seasons.  His K and BB rates remained strong but his ERA bumped up to the third highest of his career due to a .329 BABIP.  On the surface you might think he is due for a positive regression but he also had a FB/GB, HR/FB and Hard Hit% significantly higher than his career averages.  

Richard Fitts RHP.  DOB:  12/17/1999.  6' 3", 230 lbs.  2-4, 5.00, 45 IP, 8.00 K/9, 3.20 BB/9.  Pre-arbitration, 2 options.

2021 6'th round draft pick out of Auburn. Big body with a 95 MPH FB.  Has been a SP but may have more of a Reliever profile.  

Brandon Clarke LHP.  DOB:  4/10/2003.  6' 4", 220 lbs.  A/A+:  0-3, 4.03, 38 IP, 14.21 K/9, 6.39 K/9, 2.42 GB/FB.  Rule 5 eligible Dec. 2027.

Former 5'th round draft pick. Big lefty with tremendous stuff but has a wild hair up his nose.  Reliever profile.  

Comment:  Gray may be entering the the downside of his career With the money the Cardinals are including in the deal, Gray will essentially cost the BoSox $21 M for one season since mutual options are almost never exercised but both parties.  Gray may be entering the the downside of his career, but Sox are getting a reliable SP who will grind out innings and keep them in most games at a reasonable price.  Since this was mainly a salary dump by the Cardinals they get a couple of pitching prospects who profile as relievers but likely no future stars.  

The Giants were rumored to be interested in Gray at last year's trade deadline which led to speculation they may pursue a trade for him this offseason.  I have a feeling his ship sailed away from San Francisco when Bob Melvin, his former manager with the A's was fired.  I think the Giants can find as good or better SP option for a lower price this offseason.

Hot Stove League Update: Mets and Rangers Trade Contracts

This trade seems to be more of a contract trade than a player trade although it makes some sense as a player challenge trade too Yesterday, the Rangers sent Marcus Semien 2B and his 3 yr/$72 M remaining contract to the Mets for Brandon Nimmo OF and the remaining 5 yr/$101.5 M of his contract. Let's break it down into components:

Mets take:

Marcus Semien 2B.  DOB:  9/17/1990.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 195 lbs.  Contract:  7 yr/$175 M, now 3 yr/$72 M, $24 M AAV.

2025:  .230/.305/.364, 15 HR, 11 SB, 9.4 BB%, 17.4 K%, 127 PA, 2.1 fWAR.  

Fangraphs still rates Semien as a plus defender but the bat has gone relatively cold over the past two seasons and the 3 yr sequence of this fWAR value is 6.5, 4.3, 2.1.  Note that part of his down season was injury related and his Steamer projection for 2026 is a small rebound to 3.1 fWAR which is valued close to his AAV.

Rangers Get:

Brandon Nimmo OF.  DOB:  3/27/1993.  B-L, T-R.  6' 2", 206 lbs. Contract:  8 yr/$162 M, now 5 yr/$101.5 M, $19.25 M AAV(Rangers get $5 M from Mets to partially offset the contract difference).

2025:  .262/.324/.436, 25 HR, 13 SB, 7.7 BB%, 21.6 K%, 587 PA, 3.0 fWAR.  

Nimmo is not a CF anymore but he is still a good fielder in LF.  His fWAR value peaked at 5.5 in 2022 then dropped to 4.2, 2.8, 3.0.  FWIW his Steamer projection for 2026 is 2.5 fWAR.  

There are some convoluted reasons why this trade helps balance both rosters.  Beyond that, the Mets are taking on a higher AAV for a shorter duration while the Rangers lower their AAV but take on a longer commitment.  Both players will be the same age(38) at the end of their respective contracts.  The trade appears to be even although I can see Semien bouncing back from his injury more easily than Nimmo changing his career trajectory.

Scouting the 2026 Draft: Grady Emerson

Grady Emerson SS, HS.  DOB:  2/21/2008.  B-L, T-R.  6' 2", 180 lbs.  

Emerson is a HS SS with a sweet swing and tools to play shortstop at the MLB level.  He has been on scouting radars since was 14 years old.  He was on both 15U and 18 U Team USA twice.  He bats from the left side with a wide stance and a quick swing that goes direct to the ball.  He does a good job of keepin his elbows bent which helps him get around on inside stuff but he uses all fields with gap power.  He still has a young looking body which should fill out and gain more power with maturity and showed present power in the HS HR Derby.  He comps himself to Corey Seager SS.  Committed to Texas but should challenge for the #1 overall pick in the draft.

Hot Stove League Update: Non-Tender Day

Today was the last day for teams to offer, or tender, contracts to players who are eligible for arbitration.  In modern baseball vernacular, if a player is not offered a contract they are non-tendered which is not unlike being DFA'd.  Historically the Giants are risk averse with their approach to arbitration and try to come to terms with a player before they have to tender a contract that may lead to an arbitration hearing.  Most of the time when they do tender a contract they end up coming to terms with the player before it gets to the hearing stage, usually coming close to splitting the difference between the team offer and the player ask.

This year just 3 Giants players are eligible for arbitration:  Andrew Knizner C, Joey Lucchesi LHP and J. T. Brubaker RHP.  I expected them to reach agreement with all three prior to the tender deadline and keep them on the roster.  Well, it didn't go down that way.  The Giants kicked off the day my making an early MLBTR headline by acquiring Joey Wiemer OF for cash considerations and DFA'ing Knizner.  They later non-tendered Knizner for good measure.  I was really surprised they let Knizner go as I thought he did a respectable job as backup catcher last season.  While backup catcher is far from the most important role on the roster, Its not that easy to find good ones as we have seen with the Giants over the past several seasons.  The acquisition of Wiemer is also surprising as it appears to add to the Giants already large logjam of fringy outfielders.  More on that later. 

Letting Joey Lucchesi go was a bit of a surprise given that his MLBTR projected arbitration salary of $2 M is not at all out of line for a versatile lefty reliever.  Maybe Buster feels secure enough with Erik Miller LHP and Matt Gage LHP that he felt he didn't need Lucchesi or maybe he has another lefty bullpen option in mind?

Several analysts thought Brubaker was the most likely to be non-tendered.  I wasn't buying that as he was a decent innings-eating SP before missing the better parts of two seasons with an injury. The Giants ran out of SP innings last season and need to find innings this offseason more than they need a top-end SP.  In today's SP pitching market, Brubaker is dirt cheap and can compete for a #5 SP or for a Jakob Junis/Yusmeiro Petit type swingman role.  

So who is Joey Wiemer and how does he fit into the Giants plans?  That's a great question as there was already no shortage of outfielders on the 40-man roster.  Let's take a look at his profile:

Joey Wiemer OF.  DOB:  2/11/1999.  B-R, T-R.  6' 4", 226 lbs.  2020 4'th round draft pick by Brewers.  No options but pre-arbitration.  

2023:  .204/.283/.362, 13 HR, 11 SB, 8.8 BB%, 28.3 K%, 410 PA.

2024:  .154/.214/.154, 7.1 BB%, 32.1 K%, 28 PA.

2025(MLB):  .236/.279/.436, 3 HR, 3.3 BB%, 37.1 K%, 61 PA.  

2025(MiLB):  .203/.315/.357, 11 HR, 13 SB, 12.2 BB%, 25.8 K%, 337 PA.

Wow!  That's not exactly the high contact profile Buster says he thinks Oracle Park favors.  He is versatile and is reputed to be an above average defender at all 3 OF spots and has a little power and speed but is that enough to put up with his rather extreme swing and miss tendency?  The Giants now have 10 outfielders on the 40-man roster at least four of whom are out of options.  Something has to give.  You have to think with the acquisitions of Justin Dean and Joey Wiemer that Luis Matos, Marco Luciano and possibly Jerar Encarnacion are not figuring into the Giants plans for next season.

Blogger's Note: Poll Results

I appreciate the engagement of the 20 people who responded to the poll.  The question was, Should We Keep the Google AI Links in the Posts?  The final tally is....

Yes:  12

No:  6

Of the 12 who answered Yes, 2 said they don't personally use it but think we should keep it. Of the 6 who answered No, 3 said they don't use it or like it but it's OK to stay if other's want to keep it. 

The final verdict is we will keep it for now.  I will see if I can tinker with it to make is more user-friendly and relevant.  I have long wanted for readers to be able to link to a Bio/Stats page by clicking on the name of a player but was never able to figure out how to do it on Blogger.  When Blogger offered this free option I saw it was an easy solution to that wish.  I admit I was a surprised at some of the links, especially ones that tell me some clever phrase I made up or borrowed is not really a thing.  I am also surprised that many players who do have bios and stat pages on sites like Baseball Reference, MLB or Fangraphs don't link.  What's that about?  I am not sure what readers see when they click on the links but in addition to a Google AI summary, I also see links to player's bio pages on multiple websites and readers can choose which site they prefer to use.  To me that's enough of a plus that it's worth keeping and trying to improve it.  

I do want to assure readers who are dismayed at what AI has done to social media this is not that.  I am NOT using AI to write my posts.  Every word I write is mine and mine alone.  If I borrow a clever phrase like "shopping the Brebbia Aisle" I always try to give credit where it's due and tell you where I got if from.  But yes, I hate AI generated content as much as all of you and you can generally spot it from the first sentence or two.  The sentences are too cleverly written with lots of "flowery" language but extremely superficial content with little to no useful or new information.  I can assure you won't see that on this blog. I will shut it down before I resort to that lazy content production.  

Again, thanks to everybody who reads and comments.  You all are a big part of what makes this blog great.

Hot Stove League Update: Roster Churning On Rule 5 Draft Protection Day

Yesterday was the last day to players to the 40-man roster before the Rule 5 Draft which goes down on the last day of the Winter Meetings.  It's a happy day for players who get added and a scary one for players who get dropped into the DFA death loop.  While it's not unheard of for a DFA'd player to find a better situation and thrive in it, for the vast majority, this day essentially marks the end of their hopes for a career in major league baseball.  The process itself contributes to that.  I'm not saying Carson Ragsdale RHP's MLB career hopes are over but bouncing around to the fringes of the system getting claimed, dropped and reclaimed harms his development. 

It's way beyond the scope of this blog to review the myriads of 40-man roster adds and DFA's from yesterday but some of the recognizable names dropped include J J Bleday OF(A's), Christopher Morel OF(Rays), Jake Fraley OF(Rays), Taylor Saucedo LHP(Mariners), Jason Foley RHP(Tigers) and Ramon Urias IF(Astros).  Of that group I could see the Giants being interested in Foley who earned 28 Saves with a 3.15 ERA last season and has a MLBTR Projected Salary of $3.15 M in his first season of arbitration eligibility.

The Giants did not make any moves which either means they do not see any of their Rule 5 Draft Eligible prospects worthy or protection or that they really don't want to lose anyone currently on the 40-man roster without some type of compensation.  Don't forget top prospect Bryce Eldridge 1B/DH and Drew Gilbert OF were added late last season although Eldridge would not have needed protection had he not already been added.  The Giants 40-man roster is full so they won't participate in the MLB portion of the Rule 5 draft.  They have something like 25 Rule 5 Draft Eligible players in their system so are at risk for losing some of those.  Off the top of my head none of those at-risk players are likely to stay on a MLB roster for a full season so are unlikely to be lost to the Giants forever.  They could lose some in the minor league phase but could also select some players from other teams to help fill out minor league rosters.

Tuesday was the deadline for players to accept Qualifying Offers.  Four players accepted:  Trent Grisham OF(Yankees), Gleyber Torres 2B(Tigers), Shota Imanaga LHP(Cubs), Brandon Woodruff RHP(Brewers).  All four play positions the Giants can use upgrades in.  Nine players declined their offers:  Kyle Schwarber DH(Phillies), Kyle Tucker RF(Cubs), Ranger Suarez LHP(Phillies), Framber Valdez LHP(Astros), Bo Bichette SS/2B(Blue Jays), Dylan Cease RHP(Padres), Edwin Diaz RHP(Mets), Zac Gallen RHP(D'Backs), Michael King RHP(Padres).  While several of those players would look great in a Giants uniform, there are plenty of free agents who can help the Giants next season without a QO attached.

While the Giants continue to fill out their coaching staff for next season, several teams got a jump on the Hot Stove League with trades and signings:

The Angels traded Taylor Ward OF, who was an arbitration non-tender candidate, to the Orioles for Grayson Rodriguez RHP.  Ward hit 36 home runs with 100 RBI's but that came with a low BA and high K rate.  His MLBTR predicted arbitration salary is $13.7 M.  Rodriguez was a rising star before missing the 2025 season with arm injuries and underwent surgery to remove a bone spur in the elbow.  The Angels expect him to be ready for spring training.  I am less sure of a pitcher returning to full strength after this surgery than with Tommy John surgery so the Angels are taking a risk here but the upside is huge.  Rodriguez is still pre-arbitration.

The Astros traded Forever Giant Mauricio Dubon UT to the Braves for Nick Allen SS.  Dubon is a better hitter and more versatile than Allen, but Allen is a superior defensive SS.  Both players are eligible for arbitration with MLBTR projected salaries of $5.8 M for Dubon and $1.5 M for Allen.

The Braves re-signed Raisel Iglesias RHP to a 1 yr/$16 M contract.  Where this move impacts the Giants is it sets the market for veteran Closers, something the Giants are in desperate need of.  Iglesias was terrible for the first two months of last season but was one of the best Closers in MLB over the final 4 months.  He is probably the floor of what the top available closers will get on the free agent market.  When Buster Posey was asked point blank if the Giants were going to target an established Closer or leave the position open to competition, Buster said probably more the latter.  Perhaps the Mark Melancon RHP experience is still fresh in his mind?

Blogger's Note: Poll

 Hey Team!  I got a note from a concerned reader who is not diggin' the AI links.  I was hoping the links would make it easier for folks to look up stats ons specific players but I agree sometimes the links are to things that are irrelevant or show contempt for our reader's level of knowledge and it often fails to link to less well-known players who are more likely to be the ones folks want to look up.  So, I am going to use a rudimentary poll to help guide decisionmaking.  In the comments please post Yes if you would like to see the links continue and No if you want them to go away.  It's OK to add some comments as to why you have your opinion.  Please try to avoid long rants.

As always, thanks for reading and commenting, everybody!

Scouting the 2026 MLB Amateur Draft: Drew Burress

Drew Burress OF, College(Georgia Tech).  DOB:  12/5/2004.  B-R, T-R.  5' 9", 175 lbs.  

2024:  .381/.512/.821, 25 HR, 8 SB, 58 BB, 37 K, 285 PA.

2024(CCBL):  .125/.282/.219, HR, 3 SB, 13 BB, 22 K, 78 PA.

2025:  .333/.469/.693, 19 HR, 10 SB, 53 BB, 42 K, 290 PA.

Lots of power in a compact, athletic frame.  Not much to dislike in those stat lines.  Second team All-American as a freshman, first team in his second season.  Probably fast and athletic enough to be a true CF.  Could challenge Roch Cholowsky for #1 overall selection.

Scouting the Hot Stove League: Hitter Trade Targets

 The Giants need to add at least one hitter, better yet two, in this year's Hot Stove League.  Trades are notoriously hard to predict but here are some players who may be available per MLBTR.  We will limit the positions to 1B/DH, 2B and RF as the Giants seem set at other positions.

Brendan Donovan UT(Cardinals).  DOB:  1/16/1997.  B-L, T-R.  5' 11", 210 lbs.  MLBTR Projected Arbitration Salary $5.4 M(controlled through 2027).  .287/.353/.422, 10 HR, 8.2 BB%, 13.0 K%, 515 PA.  

If there is one player the Giants could acquire who solves most of their positional player problems in one move, it's Brendan Donovan.  Can play a better than decent 2B and OF, though has been limited to LF.  Hits well enough to DH.  Doesn't add to any logjams because of his versatility.  Maybe adding his excess value to a Sonny Gray trade makes Gray's value deficit more palatable?

Brandon Lowe 2B(Rays).  DOB:  7/6/1994.  B- L, T-R.  5' 10", 190 lbs.  10.5 M club option for 2026.  .256/.307/.477, 31 HR, 6.9 BB%, 26.9 K%. 553 PA.  

More of a power hitter than Donovan but Buster Posey might balk at the K rate.

Jarren Duran OF(Red Sox).  DOB:  9/5/1996.  B- L, T-R.  6' 1", 205 lbs.  $8 M club option for 2026, arbitration controlled through 2028.  .256/.332/.442, 16 HR, 24 SB, 8.6 BB%, 24.3 K%, 696 PA.

BoSox have a logjam in the OF and could be looking to unjam with a trade or two but will be looking for a lot in return.  Trade discussion would likely start with Bryce Eldridge, but the Giants would get a darn good player for at least 3 years in return.  Can play all 3 OF positions but mostly played LF.

Wilyer Abreu OF(Red Sox).  DOB:  6/24/1999.  B-L, T-L.  5' 10", 215 lbs.  $8 M club option for 2026, arbitration controlled through 2029.  .247/.317/.469, 22 HR, 6 SB, 9.6 BB%, 24.2 K%, 417 PA.  

Similar player to Duran but more of a true RF which may make him more attractive to the Giants and he has 4 years of arbitration control vs Duran's 3.  Again, trade talks would start with Bryce Eldridge.

Steven Kwan OF(Guardians).  DOB:  9/5/1997.  B-L, T-L.  5' 8", 170 lbs.  MLBTR Projected Arbitration Salary $8.8 M controlled through 2027.  .272/.330/.374, 11 HR, 21 SB, 7.9 BB%, 8.7 K%, 693 PA.  

Super high contact guy with little power.  Highly rated defensive LF.  A challenge trade for Heliot Ramos might make some sense here for both teams.  

Taylor Ward OF(Angels).  DOB:  12/14/1993.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 200 lbs.  .228/.317/.475, 36 HR, 11.3 BB%, 26.4 K%, 663 PA.  MLBTR Projected Arbitration Award $13.7 M control through 2026.

1 yr rental power bat.  Buster may not be keen on the K's and low BA/OBP.

Jo Adell OF(Angels).  DOB:  4/8/1999.  B-R, T-R.  6' 2", 215 lbs.  .236/293/.485, 37 HR, 5.8 BB%, 26.4 K%.  

Perennial trade candidate who never gets traded.  It's even a joke on many baseball-oriented websites.  Another raw power bat with low BA and high K's.  Maybe not Buster's cup of tea?

Adolis Garcia(Rangers).  DOB:  3/2/1993.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 205 lbs.  .227/.271/.394, 19 HR, 13 SB, 5.1 BB%, 24.7 K%, 547 PA.  MLBTR projected salary $12.1 M controlled through 2026.

Outstanding defensive RF but bat has fallen of dramatically since 2023.

Randy Arozarena OF(Mariners).  DOB:  2/28/1995.  B-R, T-R.  5' 10", 185 lbs.  .238/.334/.426, 27 HR, 31 SB, 9.0 BB%, 26.9 K%, 709 PA.  MLBTR Projected Salary $18.2 M controlled through 2026.

Nice power speed combination.  More high K's.  

Triston Casas 1B(Red Sox).  DOB:  1/15/2000.  B-L , T-R.  6' 4", 244 lbs.  .182/.277/.303, 3 HR, 9.8 BB%, 24.1 K%, 112 PA.  MLBTR Projected Salary $1.7 M controlled through 2028.  

Got off to a slow start mostly due to bad BABIP luck then went down with a ruptured patella tendon.  

Jake Burger 1B(Rangers).  DBOL. 4/10/1996.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 230 lbs.  .236/.269/.419, 16 HR, 3.2 BB%, 24.7 K%.  

Streaky hitter with some power.  Doesn't take walks but strikes out a lot.  Not much here to tempt Buster.

J. J. Bleday OF(A's).  DOB:  11/10/1997.  B-L, T- L.  6' 2", 205 lbs.  .212/.294/.404, 14 HR, 10.5 BB%, 26.5 K%, 344 PA.  MLBTR Projected Salary $2.2 M controlled through 2028.  

Former first round draft pick who lost his starting position last season.  Regressed from a strong 2024.  Maybe worth a flyer as a cost-controlled bounceback candidate if the trade cost is not too high. Again, K's are an issue.

Alek Thomas OF(D'Backs).  DOB:  4/28/2000.  B-L, T-L.  5' 9", 175 lbs.  .249/.289/.370, 9 HR, 7 SB, 4.5 BB%, 26 K%, 469.  MLBTR Projected Salary $2.2 M controlled through 2028.  

Once an elite defensive CF.  Bat never developed and his D metrics have regressed.  Not much here to favor over Drew Gilbert.

Nick Castellanos OF/DH.  DOB:  3/4/1992.  B- R, T-R.  6' 3", 203 lbs.  .250/.294/.400, 17 HR, 5.4 BB%, 22.6 K%, 589 PA.  Under Contract 1 yr/$20 M.  

MLBTR thinks Castellanos has played his last game for the Phillies and will either be cut or traded.  Phillies would have to eat most of his contract in a trade or take a bad contract back.  Might be a nice 1 yr, RH DH option for the price but doesn't hit LHP's any better than RHP's.  

Christian Walker 1B(Astros).  DOB:  3/28/1991.  B- R, T-R.  5' 11", 208 lbs.  .238/.297/.421, 27 HR, 6.3 BB%, 27.7 K%, 640 PA.  Under Contract 2 yr/$40 M.  

Pricy but the Astros have a logjam and might be willing to pay down salary obligation.  Longtime thorn in Giants side when he was with the D'Backs.  K rate ballooned with Astros.

Comment:  There are several players in this list who make attractive trade targets for the Giants.  Brendan Donovan in particular seems like a perfect fit but that's true for a lot of teams.  He won't come cheap unless he's traded in a package with Sonny Gray to get the acquiring team to take on more of Gray's contract.  A straight up challenge trade of Ramos for Steven Kwan would put Buster's ballpark fit theories to the test. But then Buster would still need to find a RF.

Scouting the 2026 Amateur Draft: A. J. Gracia

A. J. Gracia OF, College(Virginia).  DOB:  10/27/2004.  B-L, T-L.  6' 3", 195 lbs.   

2024(Duke):  .305/.440/.559, 14 HR, 5 SB, 48 BB, 55 K, 278 PA.  

2024(CCBL):  .267/.421/.467, HR, SB, 4 BB, 4 K, 19 PA.

2025(Duke):  .293/.449/.558, 15 HR, 8 SB, 57 BB, 36 K, 285 PA.  

Smooth swinging lefty hitter and thrower who uses the whole field and is more of a hitter with power than a power hitter.  Plate discipline can cross the line into passivity.  Plays CF well in college but projects as a corner OF in MLB.  Transferring to Virginia for 2026 along with his coach from Duke.  

Scouting the Hot Stove League: Free Agent Hitters

 I think we all agree that as presently constructed, the Giants roster needs at least one more bat and probably two in order to be competitive in 2026.  Short of a major roster makeover, there are several positions where a bat could be added including 1B/DH(assuming Bryce Eldridge isn't quite ready), 2B and RF which still leaves a fairly long list of potential additions.  We'll start with some of the top free agent bats on the market:

Kyle Tucker RF.  DOB:  1/17/1997.  B-L, T-R.  6' 4", 212 lbs.  .266/.377/.464, 22 HR, 25 SB, 14.6 BB%, 14.7 K%.  MLBTR projected contract:  11 yr/$400 M.

Top player on the market but coming off a down season featuring two injuries and an extended midseason slump.  This is the second season in a row he missed significant time with injuries.  Is that in itself a red flag?  The Giant most glaring hole is in RF so he is a perfect fit, albeit not a great defender there, but can they or should they take on another long term mega contract, especially one with some obvious negatives?

Bo Bichette SS/2B.  DOB:  3/5/1998.  B-R, T-R.  5', 11", 190 lb.  .311/.357/.483, 18 HR, 4 SB, 6.4 BB%, 14.5 K%, 628 PA.  MLBTR Projected contract:  8 yr/$208 M.  Nice bounceback season after a disastrous, injury-marred 2024, but missed time at the end of the season with a PCL sprain.  Performed well in the World Series.  Does not grade out well on defense at SS but the Giants would want him to play 2B anyway where he would form a dynamic up-the-middle pairing with Willy Adames.  MLBTR projects him to be considerably more affordable than Kyle Tucker but I wonder if they are selling him short?

Munetaka Murakami 3B/1B.  DOB:  2/2/2000.  B-L, T-R.  6' 2", 213 lbs.  JPCL:  .273/.379/.663, 22 HR, 32 BB, 64 K, 224 PA.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  8 yr/180 M(plus posting fee).  

Slugging corner IF who is probably only a fit for the Giants if Bryce Eldridge is traded for cost-controlled pitching.  Namesake of the first Japanese MLB player who played for the Giants.

Cody Bellinger OF.  DOB:  7/13/1995.  B-L, T-L.  6' 3", 204 lbs.  .272/.334/.480, 29 HR, 13 SB, 8.7 BB%, 13.7 K%, 656 PA.  MLBTR projected contract:  5 yr/140 M.  

If MLBTR's projection is close to accurate, and they have an excellent track record of accurate projections, Bellinger is way more affordable than Kyle Tucker and you could make a case he is a better all-around player.  Athleticism and versatility make him an obvious great fit for the Giants OF.  Buster should be kicking tires on this one.

Kyle Schwarber DH.  DOB:  3/5/1993.  B-L, T-R.  5' 11", 229 lbs.  .240/.365/.563, 56 HR, 10 SB, 14.9 BB%, 27.2 K%, 724 PA.  MLBTR projected contract:  5 yr/$135 M.  

Power, power and more power!  Positional limitations make him a fit only if Bryce Eldridge is traded.  But man!  Could the Giants ever use a power bat like that in the lineup?  Eldridge should be so lucky as to ever hit like that!

Pete Alonso 1B/DH.  DOB:  12/7/1994.  B-R, T-R.  6' 3", 245 lbs.  .272/.347/.524, 38 HR, 8.6 BB%, 22.8 K%, 709 PA.  MLBTR projected contract:  4 YR/$110 M.  

Again, probably only a fit if Eldridge is traded, but would make a nice R-L 1B/DH combo with Devers and with power numbers Eldridge can only dream on.

Josh Naylor 1B/DH.  DOB:  6/22/1997.  B-L, T-L.  5'10", 235 lbs.  .292/.360/.447, 20 HR, 5.2 BB%, 16.2 K%, 604 PA.  MLBTR projected contract:  5 yr/$90 M.

More of a contact hitter with power than a pure power hitter, but Buster likes contact.  Affordable contract projection.  Same situation with Bryce Eldridge.  Hey! I am starting to like the idea of trading Eldridge for pitching!  

Trent Grisham CF.  DOB:  11/1/1996.  B-L, T-L.  5', 10", 221 lbs.  .235/.348/.464, 34 HR, 14.1 BB%, 23.6 K%, 581 PA.  MLBTR projected contract:  4 yr/$66 M.  

Coming off a career year with the Yankees so we are buying high here.  Did the short porch goose his power?  If Buster is really looking to upgrade OF D, he is an elite defender in CF if the Giants are willing to move Jung Hoo Lee out of the position.

Kazuma Okamoto 3B/1B.  DOB:  6/30/1996.  B-R, T- R.  6' 0", 212 lbs.  JPL: .322/.411/.581, 15 HR, 33 BB, 33 K, 314 PA.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  4 yr/$66 M.

Kind of a poor man's version of Murakami.  Older, B-R, Not as much power.  Probably not a fit for the Giants.

Jorge Polanco 2B/3B, DH.  DOB:  7/5/1993.  B-S, T-R.  6' 0", 208 lbs.  .265/.326/.495, 26 HR, 6 SB, 8.0 BB%, 15.6 K%, 524 PA.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  3 yr/$42 M.  

More of a DH than position player by now but a B-S DH with some power who doesn't K a lot would be an asset.....again, assuming Eldridge isn't ready or trade bait for a pitcher.

Ha Seong Kim SS/2B.  DOB:  10/17/1995.  B-R, T-R.  5' 10", 200 lbs.  .234/.304/.345, 5 HR, 6 SB, 8.2 BB%, 16.3 K%, 191 PA.  MLBTR projected contract:  2 yr/$30 M.

Missed 2/3 of season recovering from shoulder surgery then got traded at the deadline.  Would playing on the same team as his buddy, Jung Hoo Lee, help both players?  Is he enough of an upgrade over Schmitt or Koss to warrant the contract?

Harrison Bader OF.  DOB:  6/3/1994.  B-R, T-R.  5' 11", 210 lbs.  .277/.347/.449, 17 HR, 11 SB, 7.8 BB%, 27.1 K%.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  2 yr/$26 M.  

Solves the CF defense problem but not the strikeout problem.  Signing team will buy high on his best season since 2021.

Luis Arraez 1B/DH.  DOB:  4/9/1997.  B-L, T-R.  5' 10", 175 lbs.  .292/.327/.392, 8 HR, 11 SB, 5.0 BB%, 3.1 K%, 675 PA.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  2 yr/$24 M.  

Throwback to when BA was king.  Rarely walks, never strikes out.  If Buster is serious about reducing K's, Arraez is a perfect fit.  Probably limited to DH on the Giants.

Gleyber Torres 2B.  DOB:  12/13/1996.  B-R, T-R.  5' 11", 205 lbs.  .256/.358/.387, 16 HR, 13.5 BB%, 16.1 K%, 628 PA.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  1 yr/$22.5 M.  

Probably looking for another 1 yr contract to try to recapture the 38 HR's in 2019 which are rapidly fading in his rearview mirror.  Once one of the most hyped prospects ever in the Yankees system, has settled into a good, not great, 2B.  Oracle Park is notoriously not a destination for hitters looking for one big season.

Willi Castro UT.  DOB:  4/24/1997.  B-S, T-R.  6' 0", 206 lbs.  .226/.313/.366, 10 HR, 9 SB, 8.8 BB%, 24.4 K%, 454 PA.  MLBTR Projected Contract:  2 yr/$14 M.  

Numbers cratered after a deadline trade to the Cubs.  Versatility is his calling card.

Bargain Bins:

Paul Goldschmidt

Josh Bell

Rhys Hoskins

Austin Hays

Max Kepler

Starling Marte

Yoan Moncada

Cedric Mullins

Marcell Ozuna

Miguel Rojas

Mike Yastrzemski

Dominic Smith

Comment:  You have to squint really hard to see any of these players being a fit for the Giants.  A lot of the scenarios would block Bryce Eldridge.  Trading him might be a good baseball decision but would be a bitter disappointment to large segment of the fanbase.  I'm thinking Cody Bellinger makes the most sense but Giants seem set on prioritizing pitching.  Hard to see anyone else improving D while not sacrificing hitting.

Hot Stove League Update: Giants Find A Trade For Mason Black

The Giants traded recently DFA'd Mason Black RHP to the Royals for Logan Martin RHP.  Who is Logan Martin?  Glad you asked:

Logan Martin RHP:  DOB:  7/17/2001.  6' 1", 185 lbs.  Rule 5 Draft Eligible Dec. 2026.

A+:  8-4, 3.45, 91.1 IP, 7.69 K/9, 3.55 BB/9, 1.19 GB/FB.  

Scouting reports are sketchy but he seems to throw a mid-90's 4-seam fastball, cutter and slider from a low arm slot.  He should start 2026 in AA.  The trade gives the Giants a decent prospect with a year of development time before he must be added to the 40-man roster or exposed to the Rule 5 Draft in return for a player who ran out of time in the organization and was DFA'd.  That is always a good trade as you basically get something for nothing.

Scouting the 2026 MLB Amateur Draft: Justin Lebron

Justin Lebron SS, College(Alabama).  DOB:  11/3/2004.  B-R, T-R.  6' 2", 175 lbs.  

2024:  .338/.429/.546, 12 HR, 7 SB, 20 BB, 53 K, 254 PA.  

2025:  .316/.421/.636, 18 HR, 17 SB, 35 BB, 68 K, 281 PA.  

5-tool shortstop who started from day one of his freshman season at Alabama.  Was a contact hitter his freshman year.  He added more power and drew more walks his sophomore season but at the cost of more K's and a lower BA.  Lean, athletic frame is still filling out so there may be more power in there.   Sky is the limit but needs to work on closing some holes in his swing.

Scouting the Hot Stove League: Starting Pitcher Trade Candidates

We have looked at the starting pitchers who are ranked as top 50 free agents as well as a few others ranked in MLBTR's Honorable Mention list, aka bargain bin.  Let's look at some of MLBTR's SP trade candidates.  The advantage of acquiring a veteran pitcher via trade is they are already under contract, usually for a shorter number of years which allows the acquiring team to avoid the risk of a 5-7 year contract.  In reviewing this list it's important to remember that most of these pitchers probably won't be traded.  We also don't know what their current teams may be asking for on return or what Buster Posey and the Giants may be willing to give up in trades.  We limit our speculation to each pitcher's record, contract status(with MLBTR projected contracts for arbitration-eligible players) and reasons why they may be available. 

Mackenzie Gore LHP, Nationals.  DOB:  2/24/1999.  6' 2", 193 lbs.  $4.7 M, free agent eligible Nov. 2027.  5-15, 4.17, 159.2 IP, 10.4 K/9, 3.6 BB/9.  

Long considered an elite pitching prospect.  Tremendous first half of 2025 but had a brutal stretch in July.  Missed some time due to minor injuries.  Starting to get more expensive in arbitration, Nationals are rebuilding, he's likely to go to free agency and would bring back a haul of prospects.  Has pitched more like a #3 SP than ace but young enough to put his elite stuff together and break out.  Likely price would be multiple prospects including two top 100's.  

Joe Ryan RHP, Twins.  DOB:  6/5/1996.  6' 2", 205 lbs.  $5.8 M, free agent eligible Nov. 2027.  13-10, 3.42, 171 IP, 10.2 K/9, 2.1 BB/9.  

Less stuff and upside than Gore but with better present command.  Twins have not signaled a full rebuild but consensus is they will listen to offers on Ryan and Pablo Lopez RHP.  The Twins would obviously be looking for at least one top 100 prospect in return.  

Mitch Keller RHP, Pirates.  DOB:  5/4/1996.  6' 3", 212 lbs.  Under Contract:  $54.5 M through 2028($18.17 M AAV).  6-15, 4.19, 176.1 IP, 7.7 K/9, 2.6 BB/9.  

Keller is a innings-eater #3-4 SP type who would be mainly a salary dump by the Pirates and thus would not cost a top prospect.  The Giants could use a trade for him to clear out some of their OF logjam and/or get the Pirates to eat a small percentage of Keller's contract.

Sonny Gray RHP, Cardinals.  DOB:  11/7/1989.  5' 10", 190 lbs.  14-8, 180.2 IP, 10 K/9, 1.9 BB/9, 25 HR.  Under Contract:  1 yr/$$35 M plus a $5 M buyout on a $30 M option for 2027.  Player opt out on the option if it is exercised.  

Giants reportedly had interest in Sonny Gray at the trade deadline.  Was that a Bob Melvin connection?  The one year salary commitment is insane and would eat up most of the Giants Pre-CBT money by itself.  A deal would likely require the Cardinals to pay off part of the salary and/or take a bad contract in return.  Giants don't really have any contracts they are looking to dump right now.  Gray is 36 years old. His K/BB still looks great but his HR rate ballooned over the last 2 seasons limiting his effectiveness. Could adding Brendan Donovan to the trade package make Gray's salary more palatable for the Giants?

Pablo Lopez RHP, Twins.  DOB:  3/7/1996.  6' 4", 225 lbs.  5-4, 2.74, 75.2 IP, 8.7 K/9, 2.4 BB/9.  Under Contract:  $43.5 M through 2027($21.75 M AAV).  

Great numbers but two stints on the IL.  Salary is below market value if fully healthy.  Would probably require a top prospect in return.

Freddy Peralta RHP, Brewers.  DOB:  6/4/1996.  6' 0", 198 lbs.  $ 8 M club option for 2026, free agent Nov 2026.  17-6, 2.70, 176.2 IP, 10.4 K/9, 3.4 BB/9.  

Elite SP at a bargain salary but for just one season.  Would take a substantial package in return as BrewCrew not obligated to trade him.

Sandy Alcantara RHP, Marlins.  DOB:  9/7/1995.  6' 5", 200 lbs.  Under Contract:  $17 M through 2026 plus a $2 M buyout on a $21 M team option for 2027).  

Rough comeback year from Tommy John surgery but posted a 2.68 ERA over his last 8 starts.  Marlins might want to try to further rebuild his value and aim for a midseason trade.  Depends on how badly they want to cut payroll for 2026.  

Brady Singer RHP, Reds.  DOB:  8/4/1996.  6' 5", 215 lbs.  Arbitration- $11.9 M.  Free Agent Nov 2026. 14-12, 4.03, 169.2 IP, 8.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9.  

Affordable innings eater who might not require a huge return.  Reds have a relative pitching surplus and are looking to add a hitter or two.  Depending on how the Giants view Heliot Ramos going forward, I could see a 1 for 1 trade for him or the Reds might want to just dump the salary commitment and re-allocate the $$.

Kyle Freeland LHP, Rockies.  DOB:  5/14/1993.  6' 4", 204 lbs.  5-17, 4.98, 162.2 IP, 6.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9.  Under Contract:  $16 M through 2026, $17 M vesting player option at 170 IP for 2027.

Affordable innings eater whose numbers are significantly better outside Coors Field.  A trade would probably benefit both Freeland and the Rockies.  Mainly a salary dump so would not require a top prospect in return.  Prickly personality was on display in a benches-clearing incident with the Giants in 2025.  If I'm Buster Posey I'm kicking the tires on Freeland.

Luis Severino RHP, A's.  DOB:  2/20/1994.  6' 2", 2018 lbs.  8-11, 4.54, 162.2 IP, 6.9 K/9, 2.8 BB/9.  Under Contract:  $42 M through 2027($21 M AAV). Can opt out after 2026.  

Coming of a down season after signing a big contract.  Hated the Sacramento ballpark and had much better numbers on the road.  Buster might want to kick the tires on Sevy too.

Luis Castillo RHP, Mariners.  DOB:  12/12/1992.  6' 2", 200 lbs.  11-8, 3.54, 180.2 IP, 8.1 K/9, 2.3 BB/9.  Under Contract:  $45.5 M through 2027($22.75 AAV), $25 M vesting option for 2028.

Mariners have a plethora of pitchers and might want to shed salary.  The salary might be a bit rich for the Giants taste but Greg Johnson indicated they may be willing to pay more AAV for a shorter obligation and Castillo is a serious pitcher. He's also a former Giants farmhand who got away.

Tarik Skubal LHP, Tigers.  DOB:  8/18/2020.  6' 3", 240 lbs.  13-6, 2.21, 195.1 IP, 11.1 K/9, 1.5 BB/9.  Arbitration $17.8 M.  Free agent Nov 2026.  

The White Whale!  One of the very best pitchers in all of baseball.  Tigers would be looking to get a huge prospect haul in return and the receiving team gets just one season before he hits free agency but what a season it could be!

Comment:  To my eye it looks like Freeland and Severino are the most likely targets for the Giants in this list.  We can dream on Skubal but would Buster part with Eldridge?  Would we want him to? I could also see a package deal for Sonny Gray and Brendan Donovan given the Giants prior interest in Gray and need for a player with Donovan's versatility and bat.an

Scouting the Hot Stove League: Bargain Bin Starting Pitchers

All of the starting pitchers listed in our last post came out of Fangraphs and MLBTR's top 50 free agents.  Here are 3 starting pitcher options who fall into MLBTR's Honorable Mention category.  Nod to A Place To Talk About Giants Baseball for coining the phrase, "shopping in the Brebbia Aisle."  

Walker Buehler RHP:  DOB:  7/28/1994.  6' 2", 185 lbs.  10-7, 4.93, 126 IP, 6.6 K/9, 4.4 BB/9.  

We all know who Walker Buehler is.  The Red Sox bet on a bounceback season from Buehler after he missed the better part of two seasons after his second Tommy John surgery.  That didn't work out as he got knocked around in the AL East which is not an easy division to pitch in.  He was released in late August and claimed off waivers by the Phillies.  He went 3-0 with a 0.66 ERA in 13.2 IP for the Phils.  I am sure he will get a MLB deal in the Hot Stove League but may come at a reduced price on another one year deal to rebuild his value. Can Giants fans stomach seeing Walker Buehler in a Giants uniform?

Adrian Houser RHP:  DOB:  2/2/1993.  6' 3", 242 lbs.  8-5, 3.81, 125 IP, 6.6 K/9, 2.7 BB/9.  

Houser signed a minor league deal with the White Sox last offseason and got off to a blazing start with them.  He then struggled after a deadline trade to the Rays and was granted free agency.  He'll almost surely get a MLB deal from some team.  Will they be getting the White Sox version or the Rays version.  His peripheral numbers suggest he's be closer to the Rays version.

Dustin May RHP:  DOB:  9/6/1997.  6' 6", 180 lbs.  7-11, 4.96, 132.1 IP, 8.37 K/9, 3.81 BB/9.  

Another ex-Dodger who had a tough time bouncing back from Tommy John surgery.  I have to say watching him pitch is downright painful with his exaggerated head dip and all.  Makes my back ache just watching it.  If he can be signed to an inexpensive 1 year deal to rebuild his value I would be willing bear the pain to see if he can make good on it.

Hot Stove League Update: Giants Minor Leaguers Elect Free Agency

 At least 11 Giants minor leaguers reportedly declared for free agency per Baseballjeff1 on Bluesky:

Sean Hjelle RHP

Sam Huff C

Hunter Bishop OF

Cole Waites RHP

Max Stassi C

Ethan Small LHP

Chris Wright LHP

Juan Mercedes RHP

Miguel Diaz RHP

Helcris Oliverez LHP

Drew Ellis IF

It's a sad but no unexpected ending for Hunter Bishop, a former first round draft pick from the first draft of the Farhan Zaidi era.  He put up some unusual but interesting stats in his first pro season right after the draft but then saw his career derailed by a string of injuries.  Sean Hjelle is a unique talent due to his 6'11" height but poor on-field results and obvious issues in his personal life threw him off track and it's no surprise to see him hit free agency either.  Cole Waites is a hard-throwing reliever who struggled at the MLB level in a small sample and then suffered an injury.  Not much to say about the others than we wish them the best in finding another organization to continue their careers.  It's always possible some of them resign with the Giants.

Hot Stove League Update: Giants Make Two Waiver Claims

 Opening Day of the Hot Stove League was barely starting when the Giants made news by acquiring two players on waiver claims:  Reiver Sanmartin LHP and Justin Dean CF.  To make room on the 40-man roster, the Giants designated Mason Black RHP for assignment.  Let's take a closer look at the newest Giants:

Reiver Sanmartin LHP.  DOB:  4/15/1996.  6' 2", 160 lbs.  1 Option.

AAA:  7-2, 3.34, 67.1 IP, 7.35 K/9, 2.41 BB/9, 2.88 GB/FB.

MLB:  0-0, 0.00, 1.2 IP, 2 K, 1 BB, 1.50 GB/FB.

Sanmartin kicked around the Reds organization without a lot of success at the MLB level.  The most MLB action he saw was in 2022 when he pitched 57 innings with an ERA of 6.32.  At the minor league level his elite groundball rate makes up for his relatively low K rate.

Justin Dean CF.  DOB:  12/6/1996.  B-R, T-R.  5' 8", 185 lbs.  3 Options.

AAA:  .289/.378/.431, 6 HR, 27 SB, 11.2 BB%, 23.6 K%, 347 PA.

MLB:  .000/.000/.000, 2 PA's.  

If the name sounds familiar, Dean was on the Dodgers postseason roster that just won the World Series.  He is a slap and dash guy who is a plus defender in CF.  Interesting add to a 40 man roster that is already logjammed with multiple fringy MLB outfielders.  

Scouting the Hot Stove League: Free Agent Starting Pitchers

 Fangraphs is out with their top 50 free agent list along with contract estimates.  Adding at least one SP this offseason is a Giants priority so let's look at what's available on the free agent market.  Remember if we use the CBT threshold as the Giants spending limit, They have a total of about $60 M AAV to spend and they have more needs than just adding a SP.

Tier 1:

Dylan Cease RHP.  Age 30.  8-12, 4.55, 168 IP, 11.52 K/9, 3.80 BB/9, 3.56 FIP.  Estimated Contract:  5 yr/$130-155 M, $26-31 M AAV.

Gives you innings but ERA has been higher than FIP for past 3 seasons.

Framber Valdez LHP.  Age 32.  13-11, 3.66, 192 IP, 8.77 K/9, 3.19 BB/9, 2.57 GB/FB.  Estimated Contract:  5 Yr/$134-150 M, $28-30 AAV.

Makes up for lower K/9 with extreme groundball ratio.  Appeared to hit his catcher with a pitch on purpose last season.

Ranger Suarez LHP.  Age 30.  12-8, 3.20, 157.1 IP, 8.64 K/9, 2.17 BB/9, 1.32 GB/FB.  Estimated Contract:  5 Yr/$125-130 M, $25-26 AAV.

Gets by with less than elite stuff with excellent command of a 5-pitch mix.  Has spent time on IL 3 straight seasons and has never pitched 160 innings in a season.

Tier 2:

Michael King RHP.  30 yo.  5-3, 3.44, 73.1 IP, 9.33 K/9, 3.19 BB/9, 4.42 FIP.  Estimated Contract: 1 yr/22 M- 4 yr/$88 M.  

Coming off a down season with injuries.  Might just accept a QO from the Padres.  

Merrill Kelly RHP.  37 yo.  12-9, 3.52, 184 IP, 8.17 K/9, 2.35 BB/9.  Estimated Contract:  1 yr/$21 M- 2 yr/$32 M.  

37 yo but still a reliable innings-eating SP.

Shota Imanaga LHP.  32 yo.  9-8, 3.73, 144.2 IP, 7.28 K/9, 1.62 BB/9, 4.86 FIP, 0.54 GB/FB.  Estimated Contract: 

Extreme flyball pitcher who doesn't get many K's.  That is generally a prescription for disaster.  Imanaga mitigates it with an extremely low walk rate.  Numbers fell off a cliff in the second half last year.

Zac Gallen RHP.  30 yo.  13-15, 4.83, 192 IP, 8.20 K/9, 3.09 BB/9.  Estimated Contract: 2 yr/$36-54 M.  coming off one if his worst seasons.

2025 was the highest ERA of his career.

Tatsuya Imai RHP.  27 yo.  10-5, 1.92, 163.2 IP, 9.79 K/9, 2.47 BB/9, 1.45 GB/FB.  Estimated Contract:  4 yr/$64 M-5 yr/$100 M.  

Stats are from the NPB.  

Brandon Woodruff RHP.  32 yo.  7-2, 3.20, 64.2 IP, 11.55 K/9, 1.95 BB/9. Estimated Contract:  2 yr/$34 M-3 yr/$66 M.  

Elite stuff and numbers when healthy.  Has missed a lot of time to injury the last two years.

Chris Bassitt RHP.  36 yo.  11-9, 3.96, 170.1 IP, 8.77 K/9, 2.75 BB/9, 1.40 GB/FB.  Estimate Contract:  1 yr/$17 M-2 yr/$36 M.

At least 170 IP the last 4 seasons.  Consistently puts up sub-4.00 ERA's.

Tier 3:

Lucas Giolito RHP.  31 yo.  10-4, 3.41, 145 IP, 7.51 K/9, 3.48 BB/9, 4.17 FIP.  Estimated Contract:  2 yr/$28 M-2 yr/$36 M.  

Long considered to have breakout potential. Has never quite lived up to expectations and very much runs hot and cold.

Cody Ponce RHP.  31 yo.  17-1, 1.89, 180.2 IP, 12.55 K/9, 2.04 BB/9, 1.30 GB/FB.  Estimated Contract: 2 yr/$16 M-3 yr/$24 M.

Big, hard thrower.  Up and down career.  Reportedly reworked his game and his body last season for the KBO.  Prior to that had mixed results in the NPB.  Can KBO numbers be trusted to translate to MLB?

Tyler Mahle RHP.  31 yo.  6-4, 2.18, 86.2 IP, 6.85 K/9, 3.01 BB/9, 3.37 FIP.  Estimated Contract:  2 yr/$26-32 M.

Pitches to contact with some success when healthy.  Has struggled with injuries for the past 4 seasons.

Zack Littell RHP.  30 yo.  10-8, 3.81, 186.2 IP, 6.27 K/9, 1.54 BB/9, 4.88 FIP.  Estimated Contract: 2 yr/$20-24 M.

Contact pitcher who can eat innings.  Hated Gabe Kapler and had an on-field meltdown punching his ticket out of San Francisco at the time.  Would Buster Posey hold that against him?

Justin Verlander RHP.  43 yo.  4-11, 3.85, 152 IP, 8.11 IP, 3.08 BB/9, 0.77 GB/FB.  Estimated Contract: 1 yr/$10-15 M

I am sure the Giants would be happy to have him back on another 1 yr/$15 M contract. Get 'er done, Buster then get another SP in this price range.

Comment:  I would think bringing Verlander back plus adding someone like Merrill Kelly or Chris Bassitt on 1-2 year deals makes a lot of sense for what the Giants rotation needs.  Maybe Mad Max Scherzer who did not make Fangraphs Top 50 FA list.