The San Francisco Giants are approaching a pivotal offseason, one in which strengthening their pitching staff sits at the very top of the organization’s to-do list. While Logan Webb has established himself as an outstanding frontline starter and a true ace, relying too heavily on just one dominant arm is rarely a sustainable strategy for long-term success. To contend at a higher level, San Francisco clearly needs more depth and another high-end presence in the rotation.
Although pitchers like Robbie Ray, Landen Roup, and Justin Verlander gave the Giants solid contributions during the 2025 season, their performances alone were not enough to eliminate the team’s evident need for another elite-level starter. Ray brought experience, Roup showed flashes of potential, and Verlander provided veteran stability, but none fully addressed the gap in the rotation behind Webb. As a result, adding another standout pitcher has become a pressing priority for the front office.
According to Andy McCullough of The Athletic, the Giants, led by Buster Posey in a critical leadership role this winter, are expected to pursue a starting pitcher whose style mirrors that of Webb. Specifically, the team could set its sights on a proven sinkerball specialist—someone who excels at inducing ground balls, limiting hard contact, and keeping hitters off balance. Unlike Webb, however, this potential target is a left-handed pitcher, a factor that would give the Giants much-needed balance in their rotation.
A left-handed sinkerballer paired with Webb’s right-handed dominance could form a formidable one-two punch at the top of the staff. This combination would not only improve matchup options against opposing lineups but also create more consistency from game to game.
As the Giants enter this crucial offseason, all signs point to the front office aggressively exploring trades and free-agent opportunities to bring in the complementary ace they desperately need.
Giants predicted to sign free agent starter who pairs perfectly with Logan Webb
The concept of teaming Framber Valdez with Logan Webb is the kind of pitching combination that feels almost too perfect to ignore. Valdez has earned a reputation as one of the top sinkerball pitchers in the entire league, and Webb is widely regarded as the best right-handed sinkerballer in baseball. According to analyst Andy McCullough, the idea of uniting those two strengths in the same rotation makes a tremendous amount of sense.
He also suggests that the San Francisco Giants are expected to come away with at least one major pitching acquisition on the free-agent market this offseason, and Valdez sits firmly near the top of that list.
Valdez would represent a significant upgrade for the Giants’ starting rotation. At 32 years old, he brings with him a wealth of experience at the major league level. Over the course of eight seasons in Major League Baseball, he has appeared in 188 games, including 166 starts, proving he can consistently handle a starter’s workload. His ability to remain durable while delivering quality innings makes him exactly the type of pitcher that contenders look for when trying to strengthen their rotation.
During the 2025 season, Valdez once again demonstrated why he is still considered one of the better pitchers in the game. He made 31 starts and finished the year with a solid 3.66 earned run average, along with a 13-11 win–loss record. While he did experience a couple of difficult outings along the way, his overall performance was dependable and impactful.
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One of the highlights of his season was the fact that he threw two complete games, an increasingly rare accomplishment in today’s game. Those performances reinforced the idea that he can go deep into games, save the bullpen, and give his team a genuine chance to win nearly every time he takes the mound.
Looking at Valdez’s longer-term track record only strengthens the case for why the Giants should pursue him. Since the 2021 season, he has posted an impressive 3.20 ERA across 143 starts. Over that span, he has also completed nine full games, which speaks to his efficiency, stamina, and ability to remain effective deep into matchups.
In more than 900 innings pitched during that time, he has racked up 875 strikeouts. While he is not necessarily known as an elite strikeout artist who blows hitters away with overpowering velocity, his success stems from something just as valuable: his ability to generate weak contact and keep the ball on the ground.
Valdez’s sinker is his signature pitch, and it consistently produces a high number of ground balls. That particular skill set could be a perfect match for San Francisco’s infield defense. With standout defenders like Matt Chapman and Willy Adames anchoring the infield, the Giants are well equipped to turn ground balls into outs.
Having a pitcher who thrives on inducing that type of contact would play directly into one of the team’s strengths. Instead of relying solely on strikeouts, Valdez would allow the defense to work behind him, turning routine grounders into easy outs and keeping innings short and manageable.
Adding another elite sinkerball pitcher alongside Webb would also give San Francisco a unique and somewhat rare pitching identity. Opposing lineups would be forced to deal with similar movement and pitch profiles on back-to-back days, which is something many teams struggle to adjust to.
Even though both pitchers rely on sinkers as a primary weapon, their approaches and angles are still different enough to provide variation. This type of combination can be extremely effective over the course of a long season, especially when facing divisional opponents multiple times.
McCullough ultimately identifies Valdez as the top free-agent pitching target for the Giants, and it is not hard to see why. He is experienced, reliable, and tailored to fit the team’s defensive makeup. If San Francisco is truly serious about strengthening its rotation and making a push to compete at a higher level next season, Valdez would be an excellent addition and a clear statement of intent. His presence in the rotation would not only elevate the quality of the pitching staff, but also give the Giants one of the most formidable sinkerball duos in all of Major League Baseball.
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