As the annual General Managers Meetings in Las Vegas have begun, so have the offseason transactions.
There have been no splashy free agent signings in the early days of MLB’s Hot Stove season, but that doesn’t stop media speculation on potential fits for different teams.
One “perfect” transaction for the Giants would be to sign free-agent relief pitcher Devin Williams, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
“As many live arms as the Giants have in their bullpen, Randy Rodriguez’s Tommy John surgery leaves them thin enough at the back end that prioritizing a dependable ninth-inning option makes sense,” Passan wrote in a recent column. “And even if the best non-Díaz reliever in free agency struggled at times this past season, [Williams’] stuff did not tick backward, and the underlying numbers continue to say he’s elite.”
San Francisco’s bullpen looked elite early in the 2025 MLB season. But, with surgery knocking out the All-Star Rodriguez, trading away Camilo Doval and Ryan Walker struggling in the closer role, any back-end bullpen additions make sense for the Giants.
The Giants could prove to be a desirable location for free-agent pitchers.
“The Giants have plenty of options. They’ve got money to spend, and while their lineup is mostly set, their rotation and bullpen are in flux,” Passan wrote. “San Francisco is among the most attractive pitchers’ parks in baseball, which is the sort of thing that plays at the top and bottom of markets.”
As Passan noted, Williams did not have a statistically great 2025 season with the New York Yankees. In 67 appearances, the two-time MLB All Star posted a 4.79 ERA, a career high in his seven-year career.
Williams, however, boasts one of the league’s deadliest changeups. His knockout pitch helped him earn the closing role with the Milwaukee Brewers.
In his best season, Williams finished the 2023 campaign with 36 saves in 40 opportunities along with a 1.53 ERA.
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