The San Francisco Giants don’t have many decisions to make when it comes to free agency. They have just three unrestricted free agents for 2026.
One other player does have a decision to make and that’s catcher Tom Murphy, who has a player option worth $4 million. He has five days after the World Series ends to trigger that option. He missed the entire 2025 season with a back injury and rehabbed the injury in his home state of New York. In August of this year, he told the San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required) that the handling of his injury was an “absolute nightmare.”
As for the other three free agents here is an assessment of whether they could return to San Francisco in 2026.
Justin Verlander
The Giants signed him to a one-year, $15 million to provide some ballast to the back of the rotation. San Francisco knew he fought injuries in 2024 and he started 2025 by fighting more injuries. That slow start led to a rather anemic season — a 4-11 record with a 3.85 ERA. He did clear several milestones along the way, including moving into No. 8 all-time in career strikeouts, passing franchise legend Gaylord Perry.
Verlander didn’t get much interest last offseason and he’s likely to have a narrow band of interest this offseason. The Giants could be interested. So might his former team, the Detroit Tigers. He wants to reach 300 wins, and the 42-year-old probably needs two more seasons to do it.
San Francisco seems unlikely to pursue unless the options it wants to sign go elsewhere.
Wilmer Flores
Flores has been with San Francisco since the 2020 season and just wrapped up a three-year, $16.5 million deal that he signed before the 2023 season. What he’s always had going for him is his versatility. He can play first base, second base and third base, along with designated hitter. He’s coming off a 2025 in which he slashed .241/.307/.379 with 16 home runs and 71 RBI.
But his time in the Bay Area is probably done. He hasn’t played second base with any regularity in three years. Matt Chapman is the everyday third baseman and first base will be either Rafael Devers or Bryce Eldridge, with the latter as a DH. Entering what will be his age 35 season, there don’t appear to be enough at-bats for him in San Francisco in 2026, even at a reduced cost. He probably won’t be back.
Dominic Smith
Smith has versatility, but it is locked between left field and first base. Like Flores, Smith is lock out of a future in San Francisco. Left field belongs to Heliot Ramos for the time being. Still, Smith could be the most signable of the three because of his age (30) and his potential cost in free agency, which will be reasonable. He’s coming off a season in which he slashed .284/.333/.417 with five home runs and 33 RBI.
With Devers and Eldridge likely to share first base and designated hitter, Smith could slip into a fourth or fifth outfielder role that puts him in position to play 60 or so games, which is what he played in 2025. He’s a player worth pursuing for the Giants for depth purposes.
