The San Francisco Giants are trying to navigate their way back to winning baseball. How will they get there?
After completing a fire sale ahead of the 2026 Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, the San Francisco Giants have basically indicated that any hopes for a playoff run this season are done for.
Sure, the Giants still have players such as Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee on the roster, and that likely indicates that the organization is not barreling toward a full-on rebuild just yet, but with the decision to trade Luis Arraez, Heliot Ramos, Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle, it could be the start of one.
So, where do the Giants go from here? To answer that, other questions must be addressed first:
What does Devers’ future look like?
When the Giants traded for Devers in June 2025, it was clearly a move made with the intention to contend. However, his addition has not moved the needle for the Giants.
After a brutal start to the season, Devers has been better, but still not the best version of himself. Through 115 games and 435 at-bats, he has a .248 batting average, a .322 on-base percentage, a .474 slugging percentage and a .796 OPS with 23 home runs.
Devers is currently playing out a 10-year, $313.5 million deal he signed with the Boston Red Sox in January 2023 that the Giants assumed responsibility for when they traded for him. This season, according to Spotrac, the 29-year-old is earning a base salary of $27.5 million, and his number on the payroll will bump up to $28.5 million starting in 2027, and it will run through 2033, his age-36 season.
It is difficult to envision the Giants retaining Devers for the length of his contract, but it is also hard to say when they will move off him.
Can Bryce Eldridge become the future of the offense?
One of the bright spots for San Francisco as it tries to navigate its future is 21-year-old designated hitter Bryce Eldridge.
After appearing in 10 games during his rookie season in 2025, Eldridge’s role has expanded this season. Through 72 games, he has a .255 batting average, a .348 on-base percentage, a .439 slugging percentage and a .787 OPS with 11 home runs.
Eldridge has demonstrated good production at a very young age, and with years of club control attached to him, the Giants could make him a pillar for the future, particularly as an offensive threat.
Will Tony Vitello remain?
In his first season as an MLB manager after making a name for himself in the college ranks, Vitello has struggled.
The Giants’ issues are not all on him, but he has received a large portion of the blame, and his job security has been called into question for months. Currently, San Francisco is 48-67 under him, which is the fifth-worst record in baseball heading into Friday’s slate of games.
Vitello signed a three-year deal with the Giants, but there is a chance he only lasts through the end of 2026.
