How Giants Reliever’s Fantasy Prediction Figures in Their Potential Success

The San Francisco Giants haven’t anointed a closer for the 2026 season. But clearly Ryan Walker has the inside track.

The right-hander has lobbied for the job this offseason. While he’s coming off an uneven 2025, he’s the only reliever in the bullpen with enough experience to do the job. San Francisco traded Camilo Doval in July. All-Star reliever Randy Rodriguez suffered an elbow injury that required surgery late last season.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

San Francisco made no moves to bolster the closer position, so Walker is it. And that’s why the Giants need him to success. One fantasy baseball prediction might give San Francisco fans and fantasy owners hope that Walker can be that guy.

Ryan Walker’s Big Season Ahead

San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker raises his arms in the air in celebration. — San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker. | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

ESPN’s Jeff Passan recently released his 2026 season preview. In it, he identified a baseball player to watch from each team that applied to fantasy baseball. It’s not a perfect correlation to on-field success, of course. But he selected Walker because, right now, he represents great value from a fantasy standpoint, and that can translate to success for the Giants — if he’s right.

“Saves can be hard to come by and expensive, which makes Ryan Walker the sort of closer worth targeting. Though he lost the job last season, the Giants are giving him another shot this year, and as the 25th-ranked reliever with an ADP of 247, he's one of the best values in fantasy baseball this season,” Passan wrote.

Passan is right about Walker’s season in 2025. It ran the gamut of success and lost time.

He thrived early as he converted five saves in the first month of the season. But a blown save on April 20 left the door open for Doval to re-take the job.

After Doval was traded, Rodriguez took over. When Rodriguez suffered the elbow injury, the job went back to Walker, who had seven saves in nine chances after Aug. 24.

It led to a career-worst 4.12 ERA one season after he finished with a 1.90 ERA as a set-up man. He went 5-7 but saved a career-best 17 games.

In a perfect world, Walker marries that 2024 ERA with his 2025 save numbers and boost them into the 30-save range. That means two things. The Giants are taking leads late into games and Walker is locking them up into victories.

The Giants are still working through other options in the bullpen. Notably, they are struggling for left-handed relievers. Matt Gage is the only one that has been healthy throughout camp and Erik Miller is returning from an injury. Both are expected to be set-up men for Walker this season.