Giants Seek Momentum After Quiet Winter Meetings in Florida

The San Francisco Giants exited the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, without making significant roster changes. Their only move was acquiring catcher Daniel Susac, which may position him as a contender for the backup catcher role. General Manager Zack Minasian expressed optimism about future developments, despite the team’s lack of impactful trades or signings during the meetings.

The Winter Meetings saw some notable player movements, including Kyle Schwarber re-signing with the Philadelphia Phillies and Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso leaving the New York Mets to join the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles, respectively. In contrast, the Giants’ roster remains largely unchanged since Sunday.

Minasian stated, “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.” He acknowledged the challenges in predicting when a deal might materialize, emphasizing the team’s willingness to be aggressive in pursuing improvements.

San Francisco entered the Winter Meetings with a clear need for starting and relief pitchers, yet their only free-agent signing remains left-handed reliever Sam Hentges. The current rotation includes three confirmed starters: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Landen Roupp, leaving two positions open. The Giants have a number of young pitchers, including Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, and Carson Whisenhunt, but they still require experienced arms capable of delivering consistent innings.

Birdsong, 24, is considered a promising option for the future, although he struggled with command issues last season, walking 67 batters over 104 and 2/3 innings across the majors and minors. Despite these challenges, the Giants maintain confidence in his potential. “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 also requires attention, particularly after the loss of All-Star Randy Rodríguez, who will miss the entire season following Tommy John surgery. Ryan Walker, who started and ended last season as the Giants’ closer, faced ups and downs throughout the year but is now considered a key player in the bullpen. Minasian remarked, “He’s one of our more proven arms, so hopefully it was a valuable experience for him to realize he is a very good major-league bullpen arm because we need him.”

The Giants opted not to use the Rule 5 Draft to enhance their bullpen, focusing instead on the acquisition of Susac. 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 and being locked into a (roster) spot.”

Despite a previous shortage of left-handed relief options, the Giants now boast several different profiles in their bullpen, even after non-tendering Joey Lucchesi. The 40-man roster currently features four left-handed relievers: Hentges, Erik Miller, Reiver Sanmartin, and Eric Gage. Minasian expressed improved confidence in the left-handed pitching depth, noting, “The interesting part is their games are all a little bit different… Hopefully, the manager feels it gives him some different options to go to.”

Offensively, the addition of Susac addresses a lower-priority need, but the Giants still seek a right fielder to complement Heliot Ramos in left field and Jung Hoo Lee in center field. Former Giant Mike Yastrzemski signed a two-year, $23 million deal with the Atlanta Braves, leaving the Giants to explore other options.

While second base is not as critical as pitching or outfield, it remains an area for potential enhancement. Casey Schmitt currently holds the position, and Tyler Fitzgerald was the Opening Day starter, but the Giants are likely to continue assessing their options in this area.

As the Giants leave Florida, the lack of substantial trades or signings raises questions about their immediate plans. Minasian concluded, “Some things, still working on… We’ll see where it goes. Right now, it’s still kind of anyone’s guess.” The coming weeks will reveal whether their groundwork will lead to significant roster improvements ahead of the new season.