No one is talking about this... (but should be)

Nobody is talking about this. The San Francisco Giants had one of the worst bullpens in Major League Baseball last year. However, one of their best players from the 2025 season is looking to be a huge part of that group next year. We're going to break down the latest on one of the Giants' most talented arms here on SF Giants Digest. If you're new here, welcome to the channel. I am your host, Michael Monreal. And if you've been here before, welcome back to SF Giants Digest. We are so, so glad you found your way back to the channel. Now, before we get into today's video, let me know down in the comments your thoughts on the Dodgers being down 3-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS. Also, if you haven't yet, make sure to go down below, hit that like button, hit that subscribe button. About 75% of you guys watch the videos and not actually subscribe to the channel. It's completely free, takes just a second of your time, and really does help us continue to make the best Giants content and analysis on YouTube. So if you enjoyed the video, go down below, hit those buttons, that'd be much appreciated by myself and everybody here at Digest Media. Now we can get directly into today's video, and this is something that we absolutely have to talk about as we head into the offseason, and of course, heading towards the 2027 baseball season. I know, the playoffs are still going on, the offseason technically isn't here yet, but of course, for the San Francisco Giants, there's no baseball being played, and we have to talk about some of the moves being made, and what we can look forward to. Now, there was a development with the Giants' bullpen that took place over the last week that we just need to talk about because it's a big deal heading into next year. Randy Rodriguez returned to action in the Arizona Fall League, and it was very, very encouraging. He returned in, I mentioned in the AFL, but this is, for those that don't know, it's kind of a league where teams will send prospects that didn't get to play a lot that year or are newer to the organization that they want to see more of, or in this case, sometimes pitchers, players that are in rehab from a big injury that they just want to get some time in game before heading into the winter. Randy Rodriguez fits that bill perfectly. So in his return to the mound, he retired the side in order to fly balls and a strikeout. His fastball reached 96 miles an hour, which it was below his average in 2025, which sat at 97.4 miles an hour. Of course, he's a guy who, when he reaches back, can easily touch 99, 100, 101 miles an hour, but typically sitting 96, 97, 98 miles an hour. and I want to say this is an encouraging first sign I know you look at the radar gun and say 96 this is a guy who was throwing 99 and you may not be too excited but it's his first time back from Tommy John it takes some time to get built back up to get that you know stamina back in the arm to get that velocity fully returned so seeing him throw 96 in his first game back in my opinion is a very encouraging sign and is a good sign for things to come for him over the next few weeks in the AFL and then of course heading into spring training whenever that is next season. Now let me know down in the comment section what's the biggest question with Randy Rodriguez? Is it seeing that velocity come back? Is it seeing him be fully healthy or is it you know just seeing what type of depth he brings to the Giants bullpen eventually? I know that this group is going to be completely rebuilt next season and Randy Rodriguez looks to be a huge part of that but let me know your thoughts on this conversation early on down in the comment section below. Now, for those that may have forgotten, Randy Rodriguez was an all-star for the San Francisco Giants a few seasons ago. In 2021, he posted a 1.78 ERA, 67 strikeouts in 52 and two-thirds innings, and a .89 whip. Anytime your whip is below one, you are having a dang good season. A strikeout rate at 33.8%, which of course is elite and he was just dominant before he went down with injury if he can be healthy this can be another high leverage arm added to the San Francisco Giants and we'll get into this in a few minutes but we know that throughout the course of the 2026 campaign the San Francisco Giants basically had zero high leverage arms sure Caleb Killian Keaton Wynn had their flashes the end of the season we saw Trent Harris and Dylan Smith like really strong in some instances but for the most part they never had that surefire guy to go to in a big spot in the eighth or ninth inning or to close games for the most part so seeing a guy like Randy Rodriguez come back be healthy for the start of next year is a very big development and that just makes one less arm for Buster Posey to have to go out and get in the winter now of course he is coming back from Tommy John so there is some real question marks about what this can look like as he comes back from injury but after his August 2023 elbow issues he did undergo UCL surgery on September 24th of 2025 five and missed all of last year. Now, the one thing I want to point out with him returning to the mound, the Giants cannot treat this one outing as a proof of durability. They still need to, you know, stay on the same timeline. Don't rush him back, especially because we're in the off season. There's no need to throw him two or three times a week in the AFL. Let him get an inning a week. Let him get two innings a week. Just be cautious. Be careful because this is an arm that no debate you need to be somewhere close to his all-star level next season now will he replicate that probably not that's a very good year and I'd be surprised to see that but if he can be a two ERA a two and a half ERA in 60 innings next year you will absolutely take that now that may be dreaming in terms of the innings because again he didn't pitch last year you want to be careful but still if he can be a two to two and a half ERA and 50 innings you are taking that every day of the week because right now the Giants bullpen the Giants pitching staff the Giants rotation it all needs to be completely rebuilt outside of a few names that impressed across the 2026 campaign now this is what the Giants outlook is kind of currently looking like I know this year it was a rough year 65-97 very bad season lost their last five games of the year of course getting swept by the Dodgers two series in a row and it was just an abysmal season by everyone almost lost 100 games one of the worst losing seasons in the history of the San Francisco Giants and of course a big part of that is because this bullpen was absolutely atrocious now the Giants bullpen absolutely needs reinforcements and we have some big developments on that side of the conversation the Giants lacked consistent landing and options in 2026 leaving a very obvious a very clear need for a stronger bullpen even with Rodriguez there is going to be much more bullpen depth added throughout the course of the offseason after losing almost 100 games a season with the bullpen being probably the weakest group of that entire season. Buster Posey is not a modesty on the hot seat, but there's a lot of pressure on him to add some significant pitching help throughout the course of the 2026-27 winter, whatever you want to call it, in this offseason because he's going into the last year of his contract, technically. I know he wants to say he's going to see this thing through. He wants to see this thing out. But if he doesn't add enough pitching in this offseason, if the Giants lose 90 games next year, don't see much improvement, then he could seriously be gone, and I'd be very interested to see what that looks like. So, Buster Posey knows it, he needs to add some relievers, he needs to add some starters, and I'm fascinated to see what way he navigates this offseason, because there are a lot of moves to be made, and I'm sure he's probably going to get creative throughout the course of the winter. Now, can Randy Rodriguez close in 2027? That is a big question as we head into the offseason. Personally, I don't think he needs to, or do I think he should? But Rodriguez has closer experience and all-star caliber stuff. We know that. But people forget, in 2025, the last few weeks before he got injured, he was the Giants' closer, and he struggled in that spot. I don't know if it's a curse or bad luck, whatever it is, but any time a Giants' reliever who is dominant goes into that closer role, things fall apart. And I don't want to say they fell apart for Rodriguez. He was still relatively solid. But he did struggle in the 9th inning compared to when he was dominant in the 7th and 8th inning in those big moments. His returning velocity, health, and command will also determine whether he could potentially handle the ninth but again I don't think the Giants should rely on an arm who's coming off of Tommy John who will probably be limited in terms of his innings throughout the course of the entire season I don't think the Giants need to rely on an arm like that to be their closer in 2027 go out get a surefire option whether that's via trade whether that's via free agency there's Adrian Morejon David Bednar if you really want to spend the money if you want to trade for a guy go get Josh Taylor go get Daryl Hall from the Brewers who's showing out this offseason I want the Giants to do something but I don't think they should rely on Randy Rodriguez to be their closer heading into next season, especially because they relied on Ryan Walker to be their closer the last few years, and look how that turned out. Now, let me know down in the comment section below. What role do you want to see Rodriguez in the 2027 season? Do you want to see him be the closer? Do you disagree with me? Do you think he can be their full-time closer throughout the course of next year, or do you want to see him return to that sixth through eighth inning high leverage guy, come into a big situation, knock down that big part of the lineup from the other team let me know what you think down in the comment section below of course I give my opinions here but I'm here you guys have to say down in the comment section that is going to do it for today's video we are not talking about Randy Rodriguez returning enough because he's going to be a big part of whatever the Giants do next season whether they lose 90 games whether they are 82 and 82 again whatever it is I want to hear what you guys have to say down in the comment section below if you enjoyed the video hit that like button hit that subscribe button that'd be much appreciated by myself and everybody here at Digest Media as always thank you so much for watching and we will see you next time