The Giants Are Telling Us Plenty About Their Pitching Plans Without Saying It

The San Francisco Giants are telling us some things about their pitching plans. But what are they not telling us?

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are just beginning their exhibition game schedule at spring training, which isn’t even at the halfway point.

Assembling a pitching staff is a tall task. San Francisco has nearly 40 pitchers in camp vying for 13 opening day spots. Beyond that the Giants must sort through the pitchers that could be options during the season.

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Here are three things the Giants are telling us about their pitching plans for 2026 without saying it (or at least not often).

The Competition Starts in March

San Francisco Giants pitcher Miachel Fulmer (32) and pitcher Tristan Beck (43). | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The World Baseball Classic is going to hit the Giants’ pitching staff. Starter Logan Webb will play for Team USA. Reliever Tristan Beck is going to play for Great Britain. Another reliever, José Buttó will play for Venezuela. Joel Peguero, who is dealing with a minor injury, is supposed to pitch for the Dominican Republic.

That’s four pitchers that are widely expected to make the opening day roster that will be out of camp for at least a week. Webb, Buttó and Peguero could all be gone for two weeks or more as those teams have good chances to get out of pool play and into the elimination round.

What does that do? It’s opens more innings for pitchers competing for roster spots. The borderline pitchers who need the extra chances to throw will get them. It’s one of the benefits of the team’s WBC participation.

Pushing Landen Roupp

San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The belief is that the San Francisco Giants will have Landen Roupp as their fifth starter. It’s not a huge leap. After being used mostly as a reliever in 2024, he went 7-7 with a 3.80 ERA in 22 starts in 2025. He struck out 102 and walked 45 in 106.2 innings.

Theoretically, all Roupp has to do is have a solid spring and the job is his. But San Francisco wants to see him “level up” from a year ago, so they’re looking for signs of that in spring training.

Without saying it, San Francisco is likely to give Hayden Birdson, Carson Seymour and Carson Whisenhunt plenty of rope to prove that they’re worthy of the fifth spot. Birdsong got that chance on Saturday in the spring training opener against the Mariners. The competition would help cultivate the depth the Giants will need to withstand a 162-game season, especially with pitchers that have injury histories like Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle.

The Closer Back-Up Plan

San Francisco Giants pitcher Erik Miller. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

On paper, there doesn’t appear to be a backup plan when it comes to Ryan Walker. But the Giants are certainly looking at their options should he not be able to get hold of the job, which is what he says he wants to do.

Spencer Bivens is going to get a hard look during camp. The right-hander had three saves last season but an inflated ERA of 4.00. But he threw more innings (81) than appearances (54), which explains part of that. He finished 16 games last year.

Beck, who will be at the WBC, will also get a hard look and the Giants will be watching how he performs in the tournament. He had two saves last year, but a higher ERA (4.61) and, like Bivens, threw more innings (56.2) than appearances (31).

Erik Miller, however, is the one to watch. He missed part of last season with an injury but in 36 appearances he had a 1.50 ERA and a 4-1 record. He also has the best bWAR among returning relievers at 1.6. San Francisco will put him in high leverage spots to ensure he can handle that workload if Walker falters.

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