Here's how the Giants' relief corps is shaping up

This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado's Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The area of the Giants’ roster that has experienced the least amount of turnover this offseason? The bullpen.

With no major free-agent additions or departures thus far, San Francisco is poised to return virtually the same unit that covered a National League-high 655 innings in 2024. The Giants are hoping they’ll be able to ease that workload by getting more length from their starters, but they’re confident they’ll be able to count on their incumbent group of relievers to continue to buttress the pitching staff this season.

“I think it’s important that there’s not a ton of uncertainty in the bullpen,” manager Bob Melvin said in late September. “You know there are going to be certain guys in there going forward. The guys that are under contract are the guys that we rely on to win the games. A lot of times in the offseason, the bullpen is an area that is pretty unpredictable and one that every team seems to have a lot of turnover in. The fact that we do have some guys going forward under contract is a benefit for us.”

Here’s a look at how the relief corps is shaping up with less than a month to go until Spring Training.

The projected bullpen

RHP Ryan Walker: A 31st-round Draft pick of the Giants in 2018, Walker continued his improbable rise by emerging as the club’s most dominant reliever in 2024, when he recorded a 1.91 ERA with 99 strikeouts over 80 innings. He was even better after taking over closing duties in August (0.92 ERA with 10 saves over his final 17 appearances), which should put him in line to retain the role heading into 2025.

RHP Tyler Rogers: The 34-year-old submariner (and new father of two) is the longest-tenured member of the Giants’ bullpen and should be one of the club’s top setup options after logging a 2.82 ERA over an NL-high 77 appearances in 2024.

LHP Taylor Rogers: The veteran southpaw had reverse splits last year, holding right-handed hitters to a .647 OPS, compared to a .786 OPS for lefties, but he still finished the season with a 2.40 ERA over 64 outings. He’s entering the final year of his three-year, $33 million deal and will be eligible for free agency at the end of the season alongside his twin brother, Tyler.

RHP Camilo Doval: A 2023 All-Star, Doval struggled to a career-high 4.88 ERA over 62 appearances and lost the closing job to Walker last season. Still, president of baseball operations Buster Posey downplayed trade rumors last month and said he’s “bullish” on Doval’s ability to bounce back in 2025.

LHP Erik Miller: After earning a spot in the Opening Day bullpen last year, Miller ended up spending his entire rookie campaign in the Majors -- a rare feat given the constant roster churn that can occur during the regular season. He can get both lefties and righties out with his three-pitch mix and could take another step forward if he can cut down on the walks in his sophomore season.

RHP Sean Hjelle: The 6-foot-11 righty bounced between Triple-A Sacramento and the Majors in his first two years with the Giants, but he managed to establish himself as a key relief piece in 2024, recording a 3.90 ERA over 58 appearances while often covering multiple innings out of the bullpen.

RHP Randy Rodríguez: The 25-year-old Dominican missed a good chunk of the second half with right elbow inflammation, but he showed electric stuff when healthy, mixing an upper 90s fastball with a wipeout slider.

RHP Tristan Beck: Beck spent most of the 2024 campaign rehabbing after undergoing surgery to repair an aneurysm in his upper right arm, but he impressed after returning to the Majors in September, delivering a 1.69 ERA over seven appearances. He could have a chance to compete for a rotation spot this spring, but he could also fit into the bullpen as a possible swingman option.

Other relief candidates: RHP Jordan Hicks, RHP Spencer Bivens, RHP Mason Black, RHP Trevor McDonald, RHP Carson Seymour, RHP Carson Ragsdale

The Giants are still viewing Hicks as a starter, but the hard-throwing right-hander could be an option to move back to the bullpen if he struggles to stick in the rotation. Bivens was one of the best stories of 2024 and should have more chances to contribute after logging a 3.14 ERA as a late-blooming rookie last year. Black, McDonald, Seymour and Ragsdale have primarily pitched out of the rotation in the Minors, but they could get looks in the bullpen if the Giants need more coverage there during the regular season.