The San Francisco Giants finished the season 65-97 and placed fourth in the National League West, 35 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers, leaving president of baseball operations Buster Posey with several significant roster needs.

Rafael Devers, Jung Hoo Lee, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, Casey Schmitt and Bryce Eldridge are expected to return in 2027. However, injuries and San Francisco’s activity at the trade deadline left much of the supporting cast unsettled.

Evaluating the Giants’ offseason priorities requires considering the number of dependable roles that remain vacant, the quality of their internal alternatives and the potential cost of waiting too long to find solutions.

The bullpen represents one of the most pressing concerns.

San Francisco’s relievers finished the season with a 4.14 ERA, ranking 19th in MLB. The Giants also ended the year without a clear answer regarding which pitcher could consistently protect leads during the late innings.

San Francisco reclaimed Camilo Doval during the final week of the season. However, his return created an arbitration decision rather than definitively resolving the closer position.

Doval pitched two scoreless innings against the Dodgers in two appearances on Saturday and Sunday, recording four strikeouts with a walk. That brief performance was encouraging but did not provide enough evidence to settle his future role.

Ryan Walker spent time with Triple-A after struggling, removing another previously trusted option from the late-inning picture.

Randy Rodríguez will return from Tommy John surgery. His recovery adds another layer of uncertainty because the Giants cannot assume he will immediately handle a demanding role following such a significant procedure.

Trent Harris provided San Francisco with a promising internal possibility. He posted a 2.31 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 23.1 innings over 22 appearances, recording 27 strikeouts against seven walks with two saves and five holds.

Even if the Giants retain Doval, they still need another dependable late-inning reliever and sufficient depth to survive the injuries that inevitably affect a pitching staff.

Relief pitching therefore remains a major offseason priority, whether Posey pursues an established closer, set-up help or both.

The ideal addition must possess the composure to enter games with little margin for error. Late-inning relievers need confidence, emotional control and the ability to recover quickly after difficult appearances.

Command is equally important. San Francisco cannot afford pitchers who create unnecessary traffic through walks and force every late inning into a crisis.

The Giants also need durability and adaptability. A reliable reliever should be capable of pitching on consecutive days, handling different portions of the opposing lineup and adjusting when his best pitch is unavailable.

Experience would help stabilize a group that includes pitchers returning from injury and others still attempting to establish themselves. Leadership inside the bullpen can improve preparation, communication and accountability.

San Francisco needs more than one dominant option. Posey must construct a deeper relief unit capable of protecting leads even when injuries, fatigue or poor performance remove someone from an important role.