Randy Rodriguez could give the San Francisco Giants a reliever they can turn to when the middle of an order comes up late in a close game. The right-hander missed all of 2026 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2025 and returned to game action in the Arizona Fall League in October.

Rodriguez earned his first All-Star selection in 2025 and finished with a 1.78 ERA in 50 appearances. He struck out 67 and walked 11 in 50 2/3 innings. That combination gives the Giants a reason to see how much of his earlier form he can recover.

San Francisco restored Rodriguez to the 40-man roster Nov. 2 during its offseason roster overhaul. MLB.com’s Nov. 6 injury report listed 2027 for his expected return to the Majors.

What Rodriguez Showed in the Fall League

Rodriguez retired all three hitters he faced in his Oct. 13 outing for the Scottsdale Scorpions. He struck out two in another scoreless inning on Oct. 19 and touched 98 mph.

His October stint totaled two innings across three appearances, with three earned runs and three walks. A few innings gave the club a look at his velocity. Spring training should offer a longer look at how often he can locate his pitches in games.

The breaking ball deserves particular attention. It accounted for 37 of his strikeouts in 2025. If Rodriguez can use it to get ahead and finish at-bats again, he would have a way to get outs when contact could bring a runner home.

Where Rodriguez Could Help the Giants’ Bullpen

San Francisco’s relievers finished 2026 with a 4.14 ERA and 27 blown saves. A healthy Rodriguez could help in the seventh or eighth when the tying run is on third with fewer than two outs. A strikeout in that spot can keep the lead intact and give the pitcher a chance to finish the inning.

Once the Giants clear him for Major League work, they could start him with clean innings and rest between outings. Manager Tony Vitello could give him tighter situations as he shows he can throw strikes and handle a regular relief schedule.

The front office should still add an experienced reliever capable of handling save chances. That would give Vitello someone to finish games while Rodriguez builds up his workload.

If Rodriguez earns more difficult assignments, Vitello could use him against the toughest part of the order whenever it comes up late in a game.