No One is Coming to Save the San Francisco Giants Bullpen

The Giants front office didn't make any impactful additions and it's beginning to show.

May 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Keaton Winn (right) walks off the mound after being pulled during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park. | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

On Monday night, rookie manager Tony Vitello made a costly move. After an eight-inning gem from Logan Webb in which he allowed just one run on five hits, Vitello made a move to the bullpen. He called for the right-hander Keaton WInn, who was set to pitch for the third time in as many days.

With one out in the top of the ninth, Winn allowed a double to Luis García Jr. and plunked Curtis Mead. After a passed ball, CJ Abrams tied the game with a single to center and later Daylen Lile built on the lead with a single of his own.

Dylan Smith was brought in for cleanup duty, but the Giants weren't able to get the runs back in the bottom of the ninth, and dropped the game. WInn has been the team's most reliable reliever, but pitching in high leverage situations for the third day in a row will take its toll on anyone.

The issue is that the Giants have no real reliable reliever outside of Winn. They didn't invest in the bullpen in the offseason and it has forced Vitello's hand. He is not blameless in this whole situation, but he's had to walk a tight rope because of the few options he has. And there's no one coming to the rescue.

San Francisco's Bullpen Will Continue to Hold Them Back

San Francisco Giants pitcher Erik Miler. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Buster Posey and Zack Minassian were fairly quiet during the offseason. They signed Luis Arraez and Harrison Bader to short term deals and brought in Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser to bolster the rotation, all of which were considered their "headline" moves.

The biggest weakness of the team heading into the offseason and Spring Training was clear: the bullpen. After trading Camilo Doval at last year's deadline, All-Star Randy Rodriguez appeared to be the next one up.

He was elite in the first half, but he suffered an elbow injury that cause him to need Tommy John surgery, forcing him to miss the entire 2026 season.

The moves to add to the bullpen that were made were minimal. They signed Caleb Killian, a former prospect who was sent to the Chicago Cubs in the Kris Bryant trade in 2021. Sam Hentges and Jason Foley were both brought in, but as both were injured, it was going to take a while for them to make an impact.

That was it. Despite all of the big name arms on the market, including old friend Tyler Rogers, they Giants stood pat. And they're beginning to pay for it.

San Francisco is currently 19th in baseball with a 4.27 bullpen ERA. They have the second lowest K/9 rate, 7.5, and the fourth worst BB/9 rate at 4.78. They are not missing bats and giving free passes, which is a recipe for disaster.

According to NBC Sports Bay Area, the Giants are just 7-33 when they score three runs or fewer.

Tony Vitello explains his decision to go with Keaton Winn instead of Logan Webb in the ninth inning pic.twitter.com/eEu62osvTE

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 9, 2026

Per the Fangraphs stat Shutdowns, which tracks the win probability added to show if it was a shutdown inning, the Giants are dead last in baseball with only 38. Unfortunately for the fourth place team, there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.

Ryan Walker, who was the odds on favorite to be the closer heading into the year, was demoted after posting a 6.46 ERA. Foley, a former closer for the Detroit Tigers, was just shutdown in the middle of his rehab. Flamethrower Joel Peguero, who showed flashes in 2025, is on the 60-day IL with a hamstring injury.

Walker has had good numbers in Triple-A and could be back soon, but that just might not be enough. As of Tuesday afternoon, prior to the game, there is only one reliever with an ERA under 3.00, Sam Hentges.

Killian, Winn, Hentges and even Erik Miller are nice pieces for a bullpen, but not as the high leverage, shutdown reliever. They lack a ninth inning presence, a true closer. That player may not be on the roster, or in the organization.

The front office's lack of attention to the bullpen, plus Vitello's, at times, questionable bullpen management, has hindered what was already the weak spot of the team. If they do in fact want to make significant strides in 2027, a high leverage closer needs to be at the top of the list.