The San Francisco Giants might be MLB's biggest disappointment this season. While they didn't have World Series expectations, they were certainly seen as a team with a legitimate shot at making the postseason. But not only will the Giants miss out on October, they haven't been competitive all year.
Their miserable season resulted in them offloading veterans Robbie Ray, Luis Arraez and Heliot Ramos, among others, at the trade deadline, and there's a good chance Buster Posey will look to continue to make changes this winter — beginning with manager Tony Vitello.
Manager Tony Vitello
Is it Vitello's fault that the Giants are this bad? No, not exclusively; in fact, he's done a better job as the season has progressed after a frankly embarrassing start to his MLB career. It'd certainly be harsh to fire a manager after just one year, especially when growing pains were to be expected for someone coming from the collegiate ranks, but sometimes it's important to admit your mistake before things unravel further.
There's only so much Vitello can do from the dugout, but he also hasn't gotten the most out of a mostly veteran-led group, and it's not as if the Giants have been dealing with severe injuries compared to other teams. It feels like San Francisco needs to make a major move to reset, and since trading one of their expensive stars (Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames) will prove to be nearly impossible, firing the manager, as unfair as it may seem, feels like the most impactful move the Giants can make.
RHP JT Brubaker
The Giants traded Ray and Arraez because they were on expiring contracts, so it was a bit surprising that they held on to JT Brubaker, another veteran who is set to hit free agency after the season. They wouldn't have gotten much for Brubaker, but he's pitched well enough (3.59 ERA in 39 appearances, 57.2 IP) that they would've been able to get something, right?
Holding on to Brubaker does not mean he'll be back next season, though — again, due to his contract status. With the right-hander having the ability to sign with any of the other 29 teams, it's more likely than not that he'll be gone. If he were to be open to staying put, though, it'd make sense for the Giants to consider, given the state of their bullpen.
RHP Ryan Walker
Not too long ago, Ryan Walker was seen as an integral piece of that bullpen. He had a 1.91 ERA in 76 appearances in 2024, ending the year as the team's closer and recording 10 saves. He struggled in 2025, as his 4.11 ERA in 68 appearances would indicate, but he pitched better down the stretch and again ended the year in control of the ninth inning. In 2026, however, things have only gotten worse.
Walker has a 7.52 ERA in 27 appearances, pitching so poorly that he's been optioned down to Triple-A twice despite less than inspiring competition. Walker has spent over a month in the Minors since his most recent demotion, and he hasn't earned a recall. The Giants could hold on to him and hope he finds his footing, but not only is this his first year of arbitration, keeping him also risks him losing all his value. It might make more sense to trade Walker for what they can and give him the change of scenery he probably needs rather than pay him north of the league minimum in hopes he finds it again.
OF Harrison Bader
The Giants gave Harrison Bader a two-year, $20.5 million deal this past offseason, hoping he'd give them elite defense in center field while providing roughly league-average offense. Well, Bader hit .170 with five home runs and a .557 OPS in 30 games before landing on the IL for the second time this season, this time with plantar fasciitis. But somehow, none of what I've said thus far is the worst of the Bader experience for the Giants.
What's most frustrating for San Francisco is that Bader aggravated the injury by crashing his foot into a firetruck while riding a scooter, ensuring that he'd be out for the remainder of the season and causing the Giants to suspend payment of his salary until he was able to perform for the club. Whether this will hold up in a grievance remains to be seen, but what's abundantly clear is that the relationship between Bader and this front office is fractured, likely beyond repair. If San Francisco is unable to trade him, there's reason to believe they'll simply release him and move on.
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