The San Francisco Giants are being linked to one of the top free agent pitchers in Major League Baseball. San Francisco’s top exec, Buster Posey, will be looking to give his roster a significant boost in the coming months. After all, the Giants recently lost 97 games in 2026 and finished 35 games out of first place in the National League West.
Pitching will be a key area of focus for Posey and the Giants. With this in mind, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden is now naming San Francisco as the best overall fit for Clay Holmes. The versatile star pitched for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets in 2026. Although he was not up to par in the Windy City, he did post a combined 3.29 ERA and 1.19 WHIP on the campaign.
As Bowden points out, Holmes’ issues down the stretch may have very well came down to a freak leg injury. The reporter, however, claims that the star’s track record and versatility will make him a sought-after pitcher in the market. As a result, the San Francisco Giants are expected to make a move for him.
“Holmes throws a bowling-ball sinker almost 50 percent of the time, which netted an impressive 62 percent ground-ball rate,” writes Bowden. “His sweeper was his second-best pitch, and his changeup is solid, too. He can start or relieve, which increases his free-agent value.”
Landing Clay Holmes Would Give the San Francisco Giants Room to Address Other Needs
Holmes technically has one more season remaining on a three-year, $38 million contract in Chicago. However, the final year of the deal is a player option for just $12 million. The star is widely expected to opt out of the agreement and become a free agent. If so, the San Francisco Giants should expect to pay the veteran around $44 million over two years.
While not a cheap contract, this particular figure would likely be less than other more prominent free agent pitchers. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently projected that Tarik Skubal, Michael King, Freddy Peralta, Trevor Rogers, and Japan’s Kaima Taira and Hiromi Itoh will all receive bigger deals this winter.
Going with Holmes would save a bit of money for other targets, but also address a key need for the San Francisco Giants. Reuter’s colleague, Kerry Miller, recently proclaimed that San Francisco’s biggest offseason need is at least one starting pitcher. The Giants have already been linked with Holmes’ Cubs teammates Kevin Gausman and Shota Imanaga, as well as Detroit Tigers star Casey Mize.
Giants Looking to Completely Revamp Their Pitching
Whether the San Francisco Giants can win the Holmes sweepstakes remains to be seen. The club will certainly have plenty of competition for the star. Nevertheless, The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly recently revealed that Posey is exploring various ways to improve his team’s pitching. This includes compiling a list of offseason targets, but also tweaking the team’s “entire pitching infrastructure.”
San Francisco’s starting rotation combined to record a 4.48 ERA in 2026. Only six other MLB teams had a worse number on the campaign. Adding Holmes to the mix would certainly be a solid start to the winter for Posey and the Giants.
Giants Linked to Landing $38 Million Former Cubs Star