Bullpen report: The one neat trick that makes it look great
The Giants took a Work In Progress bullpen into the regular season and the gambit has paid off so far.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 26: Ryan Borucki #47 and Erik Miller #68 of the San Francisco Giants prepares for the game at Oracle Park on April 26, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andy Kuno/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images Last season, I revived the wonderful groug ’s Bullpen Trust Power Ranking bit to… mixed results. This year, I thought I’d try something different and simply review it every month.
It’s not yet the end of April, but it’s been over a month since the season started, so now is a great time to check in. My one sentence review: It has been way better than three NRIs in a trench coat. When the season started, the bullpen seemed like an experiment being conducted by Buster Posey and Zack Minasian to see just how anonymous they could make the group.
The Giants obviously believe that spending lots of money on pitching is one of the deadliest things a team can do and so they look to cut corners there wherever they can. And, perhaps, Buster Posey’s memory of being a player might have him thinking about the “guy off the street” feeling the bullpens had during the championship era and letting that inform his decision-making. I am a big believer in the whole “relievers are fungible” philosophy.
It feels like the Giants have taken it to an extreme. That might have more to do with Posey being a Hall of Fame catcher than a sophomore exec, though, and after hiring a guy with a staff well-versed in coaching up and optimizing pitchers, it all makes a lot of sense. Our general unfamiliarity with it is less important than the results on the field.
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