There is no reason to minimize what happened to the San Francisco Giants in 2026. They endured another deeply disappointing season.

San Francisco finished 65-97, recording its third-highest loss total since the franchise moved to the city in 1958.

The Giants also missed the postseason for the fifth consecutive year and finished 35 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West.

Tony Vitello completed his first season as manager, and the results likely fell far short of what he envisioned when he accepted the position.

However, not every development from the season was negative.

As San Francisco begins an extremely important offseason, the organization must identify the encouraging developments that emerged from a difficult 2026 campaign.

The Giants have numerous problems to solve, and their pitching staff was a major disappointment during the season. A familiar face could potentially help them next year.

Logan Webb and Landen Roupp currently stand as the anchors of the starting rotation while Blade Tidwell, Adrian Houser, Trevor McDonald, Carson Whisenhunt and Hayden Birdsong recover from significant injuries.

Internal candidates such as Cesar Perdomo, Yunior Marte and Matt Wilkinson can create competition. However, the Giants still need to add proven pitching.

Tyler Mahle, who was traded to the Atlanta Braves at the deadline, enjoyed a surprisingly strong run with his new team.

Mahle had posted a 5.13 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in 94.2 innings over 18 starts for the Giants, leaving little reason to view him as a potential difference-maker.

Instead, Mahle became a stabilizing presence in the Braves’ rotation. He posted a stellar 1.99 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in 54.1 innings over nine regular season starts.

His success continued into the postseason, when he posted a 1.35 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in 13.1 innings over two starts. Those were Mahle’s first postseason appearances, and he demonstrated that the heightened pressure did not overwhelm him.

Mahle’s performance with Atlanta provides hope that he could become more than a dependable fourth or fifth starter for a contending team or the Giants.

With San Francisco facing several questions in its 2027 rotation, bringing Mahle back on a one-year or two-year contract could benefit both sides.

Mahle offers experience, composure and the ability to provide stability when a rotation is dealing with uncertainty.

His response after the trade also demonstrated adaptability, an important trait for a pitcher asked to adjust quickly to new coaches, teammates and expectations.

His postseason work showed that he can remain controlled when every pitch carries additional pressure. Mahle did not allow the unfamiliar environment or importance of the moment to disrupt his approach.

A reunion would not solve every pitching concern for San Francisco. It would, however, give Vitello a veteran starter who understands the organization and has shown that he can respond positively after adversity.