The SF Giants will need to rebuild the bullpen this offseason. However, one role is likely fine as is, as Spencer Bivens should return in a bulk innings role in 2026.

Young SF Giants hurler might have pitched well enough to retain bulk innings role in 2026

A good bullpen has pitchers who can cover different roles. They need relievers to pitch effectively in leverage spots, reliable middle relievers, and a capable bulk innings arm. T

As currently constructed, the Giants’ bullpen has a handful of solid middle relievers. However, they are extremely light on leverage arms, which will need to be a priority to address this offseason. On the other hand, they have built up a solid foundation of left-handed relievers.

I do not think many teams are comfortable with spending on relievers in free agency. The year-to-year production can be extremely volatile, and teams often do not get the return of investment. The Giants are in a spot where the bullpen is a weakness, and one of the few avenues to address it is by bringing in a couple of leverage arms.

Not every inning is going to be a leverage inning out of the bullpen. When the team is down, they often want to stay away from using those leverage arms, so a bulk innings reliever tends to take over The goal in this role is to soak up a couple innings and preserve the deficit.

This is where someone like Spencer Bivens comes into play. Admittedly, I think enjoyed watching him throw more than many Giants fans. There is a Yusmeiro Petit quality to the way he approaches hitters. He just knows how to get outs without premium velocity or exceptional stuff. I think he profile has generally leaned pitchability-over-stuff, and those pitchers can still have success in today’s game.

Overall, Bivens pitched to a 4.00 ERA, 3.70 FIP, 1.33 WHIP, 6.8 K/9, and a 2.44 SO/W rate in 54 outings. He covered 81 innings this season, so many of his appearances were multi-inning efforts.

The numbers just do not jump off the page, but Bivens does a few things well. Throwing strikes is paramount to being in this role. When the team is down, the last thing they want is a pitcher who is struggling to find the strike zone. It slows the pace of the game and likely leads to a few extra runs.

Bivens also does a nice job of keeping the ball on the ground (52.0 percent ground ball rate) and in the park (0.67 HR/9 rate). He has a well below-average whiff rate at 17.0 percent, but does get hitters to chase at a 29.4 percent clip.

The low strikeout rate likely limits Bivens to a bulk innings or middle reliever role, but that is a role that still needs to be filled in every bullpen. As the Giants are constructing next year’s bullpen, there is a good chance that the 31-year-old pitcher retains his role.