The Giants Have a Golden Opportunity...

We are inching closer and closer to the end of the postseason and the beginning of the offseason. The San Francisco Giants need to rebuild this pitching staff. Buster Posey has to do it in both the rotation and the bullpen. We're going to break down nine trade targets for the San Francisco Giants to bolster both of those groups ahead of the 2027 season. Welcome to SF Giants Digest if you're new here. And if you've been here before, welcome back to SF Giants Digest. We are so so glad you found your way back to the channel now before we get into today's video Let me know down in the comments one arm you're looking for the Giants to go out and get this winter I want to hear what you guys have to say down in the comment section below Also, if you haven't yet make sure to go down below hit that like button hit that subscribe button About three quarters of you guys watch the videos are not actually subscribed to the channel It's completely free takes just a second of your time and really does help us continue to bring the best Giants content and analysis on YouTube. So if you enjoyed the video, go down below, hit those buttons. That'd be much appreciated by myself and everybody here at Digest Media. Now getting into today's video, it is no secret. It is very clear that the San Francisco Giants need a ton of help in both the rotation and the bullpen. Of course, this past season, there was basically only two starters healthy through the entirety of the year. And even then, Logan Webb missed about a month of the season. Landon Rupp, the only guy that technically made it the entire season in the rotation in the bullpen we saw basically two to three times a week the Giants lose a game because they didn't have a strong enough bullpen whether that bullpen you know blew the game whether they just never had a lead anything of the sort we just saw it too many times where the Giants were losing games because of a extremely weak bullpen today we're talking about nine targets that Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle mentioned in an article and kind of how these guys can help bolster the rotation or the bullpen, whichever group it may be. So first of all, the Giants need to decide how to spend their prospect capital. Right now, the Giants have one of the best farm systems in Major League Baseball, and they need to use it to their advantage, especially the guys they see as excess or as surplus. Of course, last year, 65-97, an abysmal season for the Giants, they lost almost 100 games, and now they need to find a way to turn things around rather quickly because, according to Buster Posey, he thinks they can contend this season. Now, here's what the strategy should look like for the San Francisco Giants. Of course, they need to prioritize impact pitching. In my opinion, I'd be fine if they didn't add a single position player. Now, of course, they're going to just because they need depth in AAA, maybe veteran catchers, things of that sort, maybe a platoon that can mash lefties in the outfield. But either way, I'd be fine if they strictly add pitching because that's what they need to do. And, of course, it needs to be in both starters and relievers. the other thing they need to make the right decisions in terms of which prospects they're trading because of course the Giants have one of the best farm systems in baseball but they don't want to get rid of the wrong guy that guy becomes a superstar on another team you need to get your decisions right you need the Joshua Gonzalez to pan out as superstars for this team but you don't want to trade uh say Johnny Level and then he ends up being better than Joshua Gonzalez so they need to make those decisions extremely carefully now getting into the video I did want to start it off with a comment from one of the other videos a few days ago and someone said Tony Tong Bay Area said instead of position players what do you see as the top pitching fits with the Giants how do you see this breaking down between starting and relief pitching targets God knows we desperately need both and Tony Tong you are absolutely right the Giants need both and they need a lot of both so we're going to get into some of the options from Susan Slusser for the San Francisco Giants pitching staff Joe Ryan and Reed Detmers are perfect fits for these rotation and they are my two favorites that we're going to talk about in today's video. So we'll start with Joe Ryan. Last year was an interesting year, but it ended up being a pretty solid year. A 3.79 ERA in right around 145 innings thrown. 159 strikeouts in those 145 innings, so a pretty good strikeout to inning ratio for Ryan last year. He had dealt with some injuries, wasn't super available, but still close to 150 innings you would take every day of the week. 2.1 wins above replacement on the year struck out right around 10 guys per nine innings so again a really strong year not as strong as his 2025 where he was an all-star but Joe Ryan is a guy who has turned into one of the more consistent starters in the American League and kind of getting a little bit deeper into his fit specifically Joe Ryan is a guy who has real Bay Area ties he's from the Bay Area we talked last offseason about him being a fit for this roster and I think he's going to be named floated to the Giants a lot this offseason as well now he doesn't have as much control as he did last year of course because that's another year down the drain but I do wish that Joe Ryan is a guy who had two three four years of control that the Giants could sure shell a pretty big package but you'd be okay with it if you knew you're getting him for a few years now he doesn't have as much control which worries me a little bit but again he's a guy who would absolutely bolster the top of this rotation and you can see in the middle there he has a low walk profile and Susan Sluster kind of you know pointed this out in her article saying he doesn't walk batters Tony Voitello Buster Posey they've been very clear through the early weeks of the offseason they are going to be much better in terms of being around the strike zone as pitchers and as hitters they're gonna be better with that stuff too but in terms of their pitching they're not going to walk as many guys he promised you know I can't guarantee anything but we're going to be much better in terms of throwing strikes early and counts not walking guys so Joe Ryan is a guy who 100% fits that bill now Reed Detmers is a guy who we did talk about in a video a few days ago but I absolutely love this potential addition a 3.36 ERA last year in 185 innings 4.2 wins above replacement and 211 strikeouts it was a pretty legitimate breakout year for Reed Detmers with the Los Angeles Angels and it went under the radar because again he was on the Angels not the most significant team not the most relevant team but it was a very very strong season and what I like about this fit is it brings a southpaw to the rotation I know you know Tugboat Wilkinson is technically in that group but I'm not sure his future is really as a full-time starter maybe in between the rotation of the bullpen whenever needed but Reed Detmers is a legitimate southpaw to add to the top of the Giants rotation 185 innings last year he brings a lot of you know a big workload he brings a lot of availability which the Giants desperately desperately need and I know I mentioned it was a bit of a breakout season which may raise his asking price but the Giants have the prospect packages to make this happen it's just can you make the right decisions on which prospects to actually give up on or which prospects are worthy of giving to the Los Angeles Angels. That's kind of what Buster Posey and the Giants need to decipher at this point in time. Now, two other starters, Spencer Strider, Shane McClanahan. These are guys that offer kind of high risk, high reward type of conversation for what starters you're adding to the rotation. Spencer Strider, it was pretty much a lost year for him last year as it has been for some of the last few years but a 5.31 ERA in just about 40 innings on the season so it was a very short season for him negative 0.1 wins above replacement the good news he was still striking out 10.6 hitters per nine innings in those 40 innings but again you look at the ERA you look at the WHIP it was still a tougher year for him and nine home runs in the 39 innings thrown that is a number that desperately needs to go to go down but who knows maybe going to Oracle Park which is of course a pitcher friendly ballpark where it's harder to hit home runs could benefit a guy like Spencer Strider but at the end of the day I'm not the biggest fan of this fit yes he has very good strikeout ceilings he can rack up strikeouts over the course of a season but only eight starts last year and there are some serious serious health concerns with Spencer Strider since coming back from surgery a few years ago he just hasn't been the same as that his rookie season where he really broke out as one of the top pitchers in baseball but again since then he just hasn't been that and it's been a rough for a few years for Spencer Strider wouldn't be surprised if the Braves try to you know send him off get rid of that deal and we'll see if maybe the Giants are interested in that right-handed arm now another arm I really really like in adding to the San Francisco Giants is Shane McClanahan now last year a 3-3-6 ERA in 118 innings he only struck out 8.1 but I think that number will take up as he gets further removed from some of these injuries 39 walks in those 118 innings and this is an arm that has some serious serious upside for the San Francisco Giants when he's healthy he could be a legitimate frontline starter for the Giants but again similar to Spencer Strider but not as serious there are some durability concerns he's dealt with several arm injuries over the past two to three seasons but also he's a potential free agent after the season so you would potentially be trading a pretty significant package for a guy that only be throwing a year or two which would definitely be concerning now two more guys in the rotation we're going to touch quickly on our Logan Gilbert and George Kirby who would both be pretty expensive from the Seattle Mariners but now that they have Kaden Anderson who was the top pitching prospect in baseball they have some surplus in their starting rotation and could a guy like Logan Gilbert be available could a guy like George Kirby be available we'll have to wait and see through the first month of the offseason. Gilbert last year 3.73 ERA in 186 innings 205 strikeouts and then George Kirby it was a down year for him a 4.33 ERA in 175 innings 148 strikeouts only 7.6 Ks per nine so it was a down year for him but he's a guy who when right he could be you know a number two in a very talented rotation so I wouldn't mind in addition to that if you're giving up the right package. But let's get into the most interesting conversation of this video, Mason Miller and Josh Hader. Now, of course, Mason Miller, the best closer in baseball, the superstar closer for the division rival San Diego Padres. Last year, it was one of the better closer seasons we've seen in a long, long time. a 1.67 ERA with 129 strikeouts in 66 games. He He is one of the most talented pitchers we have in today's game. He's nails. I know in the playoffs it was a little shaky for him, but during the regular season, he is de facto number one closer in Major League Baseball, and there's really no debating. You look at that strikeouts per nine, 16.6 strikeouts per nine. That is absolutely absurd. Those are astronomical numbers that you don't really see from a closer. Now, how does he fit into the Giants? Again, a 1.67 ERA last year with 129 strikeouts for a closer. Just absurd. But he would be extremely, extremely expensive, especially adding on to the fact that he's in the division. You're going with a division rival Padres trying to make a trade for a closer that's this good. You would have to give up an absolute haul for Mason Miller. He's just entering arbitration. He's young. So this is one that it's definitely a long shot. Susan Slusser actually mentioned that in the video. You can see in the article, excuse me. This is directly from her in her podcast, too, on Splash Hit Territory. Quote, it's a long shot. So there's no real, you know, significance to this report. There's nothing happening behind the scenes, but it is a long shot. And we heard that at the trade deadline, Mason Miller could be available. Do the Giants kind of put their ear in the door there and say, hey, is there any way this could happen? I don't see it happening, but it would be interesting to see potentially come to fruition. Now, this is one that is much more realistic. Josh Hader last year, a 1.01 ERA in 45 games with 55 strikeouts. I mentioned this as a fit a few days ago, and I actually think this one is very realistic for the San Francisco Giants. You look at how this would make sense. He's a proven ninth inning guy, which of course the Giants desperately need, and he would be much easier to acquire from the Astros than Miller would be from the Padres. I do think that this is a guy who could almost 100% be traded this year. The Astros got dominated in the wildcard series this past postseason, and I think they're going to be looking to switch things up he's a I believe 17 to 19 million dollars a year which is decent for a closer obviously the Giants are a little scared of spending that type of money on a closer but Josh Hader is so consistent so proven that I think you're a little bit more comfortable with it and seeing a left-handed closer like this in a Giants uniform would be electric considering what we saw from them this past season now just a quick rundown of some of the names we talked about in the rotation you could add a Reed Detmers a Joe Ryan a Logan Gilbert George Kirby and if you want to go high risk a little risky for the upside Spencer Strider Shane McClanahan could be targets for the Giants now on the bullpen we didn't get too deep into Luke Weaver but he's a guy from the Pirates who I wouldn't be surprised is available and then we talked about the big star power closers Mason Miller Josh Hader wouldn't be surprised to see them moved but Mason Miller is going to be harder to get from the Padres with that being in the division now let me know in the comments your thoughts on this conversation where's the Giants you know send their prospects to to get a you know good starter good reliever what do you want to see do you want to see them add to the starting rotation do you want to see them go get a superstar closer or do you want to see them get a little bit smaller moves but just bolstering the entire group whether that's the rotation or the bullpen let me know your thoughts down in the comment section below that's going to do it for today's video if you enjoyed hit that like button hit that subscribe button those are the two easiest ways to help support the channel and again helps us continue to bring the best Giants content and analysis on YouTube. Make sure to leave a comment your thoughts down below. As always, thank you so much for watching and we will see you next time.