San Francisco Giants News

WEST

Willy Adames • SS • Giants

Willy Adames Moved to Leadoff Spot

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames has been moved to the leadoff spot for the Giants for Monday's series opener at Petco Park against the San Diego Padres and right-hander Walker Buehler, according to MLB.com. It's time for the Giants to shake up their batting order as they head into the second series of the 2026 season after they mustered just one run in the season-opening series at home against the New York Yankees. The 30-year-old Adames will become a better DFS play out of the leadoff spot after hitting cleanup twice and sixth once in the first three games. It's an unfamiliar spot for Adames, as he has only hit leadoff twice since the start of the 2018 season. Adames will be looking for his first career hit against Buehler, whom he's gone 0-for-5 against previously. Like most of the Giants' hitters, Adames is off to a slow start at the plate, going 1-for-11 with five strikeouts in his first three games.

13 hours ago

Rafael Devers • DH • Giants

Rafael Devers at DH Again Due to Lingering Hamstring Tightness

San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers (hamstring) is still feeling something in his left hamstring, which is why he's serving as the designated hitter again on Friday at Oracle Park against the visiting New York Yankees, according to John Shea of The San Francisco Standard. Manager Tony Vitello said that Devers could play first if necessary. "Still a little bit of a feeling in there," Vitello said. Devers is the DH and is batting third on Friday against Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler, while infielder Casey Schmitt will make another start at first base and bat seventh for the Gigantes. The 29-year-old Devers dealt with a balky hammy in late February during spring training, but it's obviously not a very serious injury since he remains in the starting lineup. Devers went 1-for-4 in the 7-0 Opening Day loss to New York on Wednesday night. Fantasy managers will want to keep him in their lineups as the Giants try for their first win of the 2026 season.

3 days ago

Hayden Birdsong • SP • Giants

Hayden Birdsong Undergoes Successful Elbow Surgery

San Francisco Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong (elbow) had successful surgery on his right elbow for UCL reconstruction on Wednesday with Dr. Keith Meister in Dallas, Texas, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Birdsong will return to Arizona later this week to start his rehab at the minor-league complex. The Giants placed the 24-year-old on the 60-day injured list before the start of the regular season in their loss on Wednesday night to the New York Yankees. The former sixth-round selection in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois will miss the entire 2026 campaign and most likely the start of the 2027 regular season after having elbow surgery. It's a tough setback for his fantasy baseball value in dynasty/keeper leagues. In his first two MLB seasons with the Gigantes, Birdsong went 9-10 with a 4.77 ERA (4.81 FIP), 1.44 WHIP, 25.4% strikeout rate, and a 13.1% walk rate in 137 2/3 innings over 37 appearances (26 starts). Command/control issues make Birdsong a shaky long-term asset.

4 days ago

Bryce Eldridge • 1B • Giants

Bryce Eldridge a Top Stash Candidate in Week 1?

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge should remain on the fantasy radar in the early part of 2026, as the Giants' top-ranked prospect has some of the biggest power potential in the minors. The 6-foot-7 slugger blasted 25 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A last year in just 100 games, and although he was left off the club's Opening Day roster, he'll likely be back in the majors sometime in the first half of the season. The left-handed slugger carries some batting average risk with the amount of swing-and-miss that comes with his power stroke, but managers who are looking for a home-run boost should keep the former first-round draft pick top of mind, and he should be a top stash candidate in deeper leagues as the regular season gets underway.

4 days ago

Heliot Ramos • LF • Giants

Heliot Ramos Hitting Sixth For Giants on Opening Night

San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos is starting in left field and batting sixth for the Giants on Opening night at Oracle Park on Wednesday against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Max Fried, according to MLB.com. It's a tough matchup, and many DFS managers won't feel comfortable pulling the trigger on Ramos in the first game of the regular season, especially since he's hitless in eight career at-bats against Fried. On a random note, Ramos becomes the first Giants left fielder to make back-to-back Opening Day starts since Barry Bonds in 2007. The 26-year-old former first-rounder in 2017 has back-to-back 20-homer seasons for the Giants as well, and he also cut his strikeout rate considerably in 2025. But with Luis Arraez now in town and hitting leadoff, Ramos' counting stats could take a big hit while residing further down the Giants' batting order. Ramos might have already reached his fantasy ceiling, especially at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park.

5 days ago

Jerar Encarnacion • RF • Giants

Jerar Encarnacion Not in Opening Day Lineup Against Yankees

San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnacion is not in the team's starting lineup on Opening Day on Wednesday evening at Oracle Park against the visiting New York Yankees and left-hander Max Fried, according to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. Rafael Devers is serving as the Giants' designated hitter, with infielder Casey Schmitt making the start at first base. The 28-year-old Encarnacion could find playing time difficult to come by again in 2026 after playing in just 19 games in 2025 and slashing .200/.214/.364 with two home runs, seven RBI, and five runs scored in just 56 plate appearances. He dealt with hamstring, hand, and oblique injuries. Encarnacion makes very loud contact when he impacts the baseball, but he struggles to make consistent contact and has a history of injuries. He's out of minor-league options and will have to produce when he's given the opportunities in 2026 if he wants to stick around in the Giants' organization. Encarnacion has hit just .216 with 10 homers and 40 RBI in his 77 big-league games over three seasons with the Giants and Marlins.

5 days ago

Trevor McDonald • SP • Giants

Trevor McDonald Falls Short of Major-League Roster

The San Francisco Giants have optioned right-handed pitching prospect Trevor McDonald to Triple-A Sacramento. McDonald was in the mix to earn a role on the Opening Day roster but eventually fell short in the competition. The right-hander logged 15 innings in San Francisco last season and was quite effective, posting a near-perfect 1.80 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He struck out 14 hitters. He was deployed primarily as a starter but has also seen time operating out of the bullpen. He spent most of the 2025 season with Triple-A, where he logged 142 1/3 innings to the tune of a 5.31 ERA with a 1.45 WHIP. He struck out just 144 hitters while totaling a high 62 free passes. Managers should monitor his development with Triple-A, as he could have some streaming appeal if he earns spot starts in the majors later in the summer.

6 days ago

Harrison Bader • LF • Giants

Harrison Bader Returns to Tuesday's Lineup

San Francisco Giants outfielder Harrison Bader (hamstring) is back in center field and will bat in the two-hole for Tuesday's exhibition game against the Sultanes de Monterrey, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. It's the first time that Bader will play in a game this spring since last Friday due to left-hamstring tightness. Barring a setback on Tuesday, the veteran outfielder will be ready to go for Opening night on Wednesday against the visiting New York Yankees. The 31-year-old had a career-best .796 OPS, a .277/.347/.499 slash line, 17 home runs, 54 RBI, 61 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases in 501 plate appearances over 146 games with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies in 2025. But beneath the hood, he had poor exit velocities and hard-hit rates, leading to a .223 expected batting average and a .364 expected slugging percentage. Fantasy managers deploying Bader as outfield depth in 2026 should expect some regression, especially at hitter-friendly Oracle Park.

6 days ago

Bryce Eldridge • 1B • Giants

Bryce Eldridge Launches Home Run in Exhibition Game

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge went 2-for-3 with a home run during an exhibition game on Sunday. The team's top hitting prospect was left off the opening Day roster but turned in a nice showing over the weekend. During spring training, Eldridge continued to showcase his power, hitting four doubles with a home run, but struck out 19 times over 40 at-bats and will head to Triple-A Sacramento to further his development. Last season, Eldridge spent a brief 10-game stint in San Francisco and held a modest .100/.297/.179 line. He spent most of his season with Triple-A, where he carried a .249/.322/.514 line with a .836 OPS, over a 66-game stint. Managers should continue to monitor his progression at Triple-A, as he could be in the mix for an early return to San Francisco.

7 days ago

Ryan Borucki • RP • Giants

Ryan Borucki Joins Giants on Major-League Deal

Free-agent left-hander Ryan Borucki and the San Francisco Giants agreed to an undisclosed one-year major-league deal on Saturday, sources told Robert Murray of FanSided. Borucki drew strong interest around the league over the winter and eventually signed with the Chicago White Sox before opting out after not being added to the Opening Day roster. The 31-year-old veteran threw six scoreless innings in the Cactus League with the White Sox with eight strikeouts and one walk in six appearances before he opted out of his deal with Chicago. The veteran southpaw will give the Giants another lefty in their bullpen. He has eight years of big-league experience and a 4.28 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 19.7% strikeout rate, and 8.9% walk rate in 187 appearances (21 starts) in his career with the Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Seattle Mariners. Borucki had a 4.63 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 35 innings with Pittsburgh and Toronto a season ago.

Mar 22

Logan Webb • SP • Giants

Logan Webb to Start on Opening Day for Giants

San Francisco Giants right-hander Logan Webb will start on Opening Day next Wednesday night at home against the visiting New York Yankees, according to Jessica Kleinschmidt. He'll be opposed by Yankees left-hander Max Fried at Oracle Park. Webb is a pretty safe high-floor fantasy starter as a low-end No. 1 and a high-end No. 2 target in drafts this weekend. The 29-year-old has made the All-Star team in each of the last two seasons and led the league in games started (34), innings pitched (207), hits allowed (210), strikeouts (224), and batters faced (856) in 2025 while going 15-11 with a 3.22 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Webb has been effective and reliable for his fantasy managers, throwing 200-plus innings for three straight seasons. The matchup on Opening Day won't be an easy one against Atlanta, but you'll be starting Webb if you draft him in the early rounds. Webb is ranked at RotoBaller as the No. 14 fantasy starting pitcher in 2026.

Mar 20

Harrison Bader • LF • Giants

Harrison Bader Day-to-Day With Hamstring Tightness

San Francisco Giants outfielder Harrison Bader (hamstring) is considered day-to-day with left-hamstring tightness, according to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle. It doesn't sound like something overly serious, but with the Giants' 2026 regular season starting next Wednesday against the New York Yankees, it's something to watch with Bader. Right now, manager Tony Vitello is optimistic that the veteran outfielder will be ready for Opening Day. The Giants will most likely have the 31-year-old skip their final Cactus League game on Saturday to make sure he's good to go next week. Bader will be an everyday player in San Fran in 2026 after setting career-highs in home runs (17) and OPS (.796) in 146 combined games with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies in 146 games played. He also added a modest 11 steals and 54 RBI. Bader was fortunate to post the numbers he did when considering his below-average batted-ball metrics. Fantasy managers should expect regression at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park in 2026. RotoBaller has Bader as the No. 81-ranked fantasy outfielder.

Mar 20

Bryce Eldridge • 1B • Giants

Bryce Eldridge to Contribute Later in the Season

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge won't make the 2026 Opening Day roster, but the team expects him to contribute in the majors later this season, according to Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News. Eldridge got a small taste of big-league action last year, slashing .107/.297/.179 with an 18.9% walk rate and 35.1% strikeout rate. He has posted similarly high walk and strikeout rates this spring while slashing .225/.380/.450 with one home run, six RBI, and 118 wRC+. The Giants evidently have no interest in rushing Eldridge into a full-time role before he's ready, so he'll start the year at Triple-A and continue to develop there until the Giants are ready to call him up again. Upon returning to the majors, he'd presumably split time between first base and designated hitter.

Mar 20

Bryce Eldridge • 1B • Giants

Bryce Eldridge Heading to Minor-League Camp

San Francisco Giants first base prospect Bryce Eldridge is being sent to minor-league camp on Thursday, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Officially, Eldridge was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento despite having an .830 OPS with six RBI and eight runs scored in his 19 Cactus League games this spring. The 21-year-old left-handed slugger also struck out in 19 of his 40 at-bats, so he clearly has some stuff to work on down on the farm to start the 2026 regular season. He'll play first base at Sacramento, but Eldridge will probably be more of a full-time designated hitter whenever he reaches the majors with Rafael Devers entrenched at first. Eldridge got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last year in 10 games, going 3-for-28 (.107) with no homers, four RBI, seven walks, and 13 strikeouts. He had 25 homers in 102 minor-league games before that, but he also dealt with wrist and hamstring injuries that caused him to miss time. Eldridge is a big power bat with a low floor in 2026 because of his inexperience and high whiff rate. Long-term, though, he's a nice power bat to keep stashed in dynasty/keeper leagues who could get extended run in the Show this year if he stays healthy.

Mar 19

Hayden Birdsong • SP • Giants

Hayden Birdsong to Have Tommy John Surgery, Miss Entire 2026 Season

The San Francisco Giants announced on Thursday that right-hander Hayden Birdsong (elbow) will undergo Tommy John surgery next week and will miss the entire 2026 season, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Fantasy managers will obviously want to avoid Birdsong everywhere in single-year leagues, and the 24-year-old's development will now be paused for at least a year for those in dynasty/keeper leagues. An MRI exam that Birdsong had on Sunday showed a Grade 2 forearm strain and a UCL sprain, and rather than go the rest-and-rehab route, the Giants have decided that Birdsong will go under the knife. Not only will he miss all of this year, but he probably won't be ready for the start of the 2027 campaign, either. The former sixth-round pick in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois has gone 9-10 with a 4.77 ERA (4.81 FIP), 1.44 WHIP, and 156:80 K:BB in 137 2/3 innings over 37 appearances (26 starts) since debuting in the big leagues with San Fran in 2024.

Mar 19

Hayden Birdsong • SP • Giants

Hayden Birdsong Receives Second Opinion, Unsure on Course of Action

San Francisco Giants right-hander Hayden Birdsong (elbow) told the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser that he saw Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion on the UCL/flexor tendon/forearm strain in his right arm. Birdsong still hasn't decided whether he will try to rehab or undergo surgery. If he were to undergo surgery, he wouldn't be able to return until around midseason in 2027. The 24-year-old was diagnosed with a UCL sprain and Grade 2 forearm strain after having an MRI exam on Sunday. Either way, he is going to open the 2026 season on the injured list, and it might be a while before we see him back on a mound, even if he opts not to have surgery. Until we know more, fantasy managers in upcoming redraft leagues should avoid Birdsong. The former sixth-rounder in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois has appeared in 37 big-league games (26 starts) over the last two years and has a 4.77 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 25.4% strikeout rate, and 13.1% walk rate in 137 2/3 innings.

Mar 18

Willy Adames • SS • Giants

Willy Adames Struggling at the Plate in Spring Training

San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames is struggling at the plate in spring training, going 4-for-37 (.108) with a homer, five RBI, two runs scored, a stolen base, two walks, and 13 strikeouts in 40 plate appearances over 13 Cactus League games. Adames was looking like a major bust in his first year in San Fran in 2025 in the first half of the season before ultimately bouncing back in the second half. The 30-year-old Dominican infielder hit a career-low .225 (133-for-591), but he did reach the 30-homer mark for the third time in the last four years and the fourth time in his career, adding 87 RBI, 94 runs scored, and 12 stolen bases in 686 plate appearances over 160 games played. Adames had a 30-20 season in 2024 in his final year in Milwaukee, but his overall upside could be capped while playing at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park. Still, Adames should provide a solid counting-stat floor as a low-end starting fantasy shortstop in mixed leagues, at worst.

Mar 17

Hayden Birdsong • SP • Giants

Hayden Birdsong Diagnosed with Grade 2 Forearm Strain and UCL Sprain

San Francisco Giants right-handed pitcher Hayden Birdsong (forearm) has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 forearm strain and UCL sprain, according to an announcement from the organization that was relayed by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Birdsong will meet with Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion later this week, but the initial MRI results aren't very favorable. At this point, Birdsong is weighing his treatment options, and a shift to the 60-man injured list seems quite possible. That's a tough blow for the Giants and fantasy managers after Birdsong went 4-4 with a 4.69 xERA across 21 games (10 starts) in 2025. He posted a solid 9.32 K/9, but found himself posting very concerning rates of 5.07 BB/9 and 1.37 HR/9. If Birdsong ends up on the IL, Landen Roupp could be in line to earn a spot in the starting rotation.

Mar 15

Ryan Walker • RP • Giants

Ryan Walker Could Be an Undervalued Source of Saves Heading into 2026

After notching 10 saves and a 1.91 ERA across 76 appearances in 2024, San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ryan Walker entered 2025 as the team's primary ninth-inning option. While Walker collected 17 more saves in 2025, he struggled to a 4.11 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP, and eventually lost his job to emergent Giants right-hander Randy Rodriguez (elbow). However, Rodriguez underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in late August 2025, opening the door for Walker to reclaim his ninth-inning role. Entering 2026, Walker is expected to get the first shot as San Francisco's primary closer. While the Giants have other quality relief options like left-hander Erik Miller, there is no clear option to replace Walker even if he encounters some early-season struggles. Walker has sleeper potential if he can rediscover his 2024 form, but his profile is not without significant downside risk for fantasy managers entering 2026.

Mar 15

Hayden Birdsong • SP • Giants

Hayden Birdsong Dealing With Elbow Soreness

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello said that right-hander Hayden Birdsong (elbow) is dealing with some right-elbow soreness in camp and will be evaluated, according to Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News. The severity of Birdsong's elbow injury is uncertain, as well as how long he might be shut down from throwing in spring training. On top of injury issues with around two weeks until Opening Day, the 24-year-old has been hit around in Cactus League play. Birdsong has given up eight earned runs on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings pitched. Already fighting an uphill battle to make the team's Opening Day starting rotation, fantasy managers can probably assume he won't make the starting five now. The former sixth-rounder in 2022 out of Eastern Illinois had an ERA approaching 5.00 for the second straight season and an FIP even higher in 65 2/3 innings pitched over 21 outings (10 starts). Especially with an injury, Birdsong is outside the top-100 starting fantasy pitchers.

Mar 13

San Francisco Giants News

LEGEND