The stove isn't just hot in San Francisco right now. It's basically molten.
Buster Posey isn't playing around. After a 2025 season that felt like a long, lukewarm 81-81 treadmill run, the Giants’ front office is clearly done with the "wait and see" approach. We’ve seen the rotation get a facelift with the additions of Tyler Mahle and Adrian Houser, but the real drama—the stuff keeping fans refreshing their feeds at 2:00 AM—is happening in the middle of the infield.
If you’ve been following the latest San Francisco Giants baseball rumors, you know the name on everyone’s lips: Brendan Donovan. Or maybe Nico Hoerner. It depends on which phone call you believe Jeff Passan is eavesdropping on today.
The Keystone Problem
Let's be real. The Giants' second base production last year was... well, it was a disaster.
We’re talking about a group that hit a combined .217. That’s not just "slumping"; it’s a black hole in the lineup. When your second basemen post a 73 wRC+, meaning they were 27% worse than the average MLB hitter, you don't just "hope for internal improvement." You go shopping.
Zack Minasian and Posey are doing exactly that.
The current buzz is that the Giants are "aggressively pursuing" an upgrade. It’s a necessary pivot. While Tyler Fitzgerald showed flashes of being a Swiss Army knife, and Casey Schmitt has that rocket arm, neither proved they can be the everyday solution at the keystone for a team trying to chase down the Dodgers.
Target 1: Brendan Donovan (St. Louis Cardinals)
Donovan is the "Giants-y" player of all time. He’s versatile. He grinds out at-bats. He has two years of control left before he hits free agency.
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Rumors suggest the Cardinals are in a bit of a "reset" mode, especially after shipping Nolan Arenado off to the Diamondbacks. If the Giants want Donovan, they’re likely looking at a package involving a top-five prospect. Names like Gavin Kilen or pitcher Carson Whisenhunt have been floated in circles.
It makes sense. Donovan isn't a flashy home-run threat, but he’s exactly the type of high-contact, high-OBP guy that Posey seems to value in this new era of Giants baseball.
Target 2: Nico Hoerner (Chicago Cubs)
This one is the "dream big" scenario.
The Cubs just landed Alex Bregman, which created a bit of a logjam in their infield. Suddenly, Hoerner—a Gold Glover with elite speed and a .297 average last year—looks like a luxury Chicago might be willing to part with.
The price? It’ll be steep. Maybe "make your stomach turn" steep.
Hoerner is a free agent after 2026. The Cubs aren't just going to give him away for a handful of mid-tier minor leaguers. They’d want a "massive package," likely headlined by one of the Giants' young MLB-ready pieces and a top-tier pitching prospect.
The Vitello Factor and the New Culture
It’s not just about the players. The hiring of Tony Vitello as manager sent a shockwave through the organization. Vitello, the former Tennessee coach known for his fiery personality, is a massive departure from the stoic vibes of Bob Melvin.
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The rumors are swirling that the front office is feeling the heat to give Vitello a roster that matches his intensity. You can’t hire a "win-at-all-costs" college legend and then hand him a lineup filled with "maybe" guys.
There’s some chatter that the front office is failing Vitello by not closing these deals faster. But honestly? It's January. The "boring" part of the winter is usually when the biggest trades get cooked up.
Could Cody Bellinger Actually Happen?
This is the rumor that refuses to die.
The Yankees and Bellinger are reportedly at an impasse. Scott Boras, Bellinger's agent, is famously patient (or stubborn, depending on who you ask). He wants a six or seven-year deal. The Yankees are sitting at five.
Enter the Giants.
San Francisco has a hole in right field. They have the money. They have a "part-owner" in Buster Posey who has already hinted that the purse strings are loosening for 2026.
Imagine an infield with Matt Chapman, Willy Adames (yes, he’s already here), and a trade acquisition like Donovan, plus Cody Bellinger roaming the outfield. That’s not a .500 team. That’s a contender.
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Of course, the risk is massive. Bellinger is 30. A six-year deal takes him into his mid-30s, and we’ve seen how those contracts can age. But for a fan base tired of missing out on superstars, it might be a risk worth taking.
What to Watch Next
If you're looking for the "tell" on what the Giants will do, keep an eye on the international signing period. They’ve been heavily linked to Luis Hernández, a top middle-infield prospect out of Venezuela.
If they land Hernández, it doesn't change their 2026 plans, but it gives them more flexibility to trade away current middle-infield prospects for an established star like Hoerner or Donovan.
Here is how you should track these developments:
- Watch the Cardinals' Pitching Needs: If St. Louis starts asking for Landen Roupp or Carson Whisenhunt, the Donovan deal is likely in the "final stages" of negotiation.
- Monitor the Yankees/Bellinger Standoff: Every day that goes by without a Yankees announcement is a win for the Giants. If the Yankees pivot to a different outfielder, expect the Giants to be the primary bidders for Belli.
- The "Vitello Effect": Look for the Giants to target "high-motor" players. The days of low-energy baseball in China Basin are over.
The San Francisco Giants baseball rumors aren't just noise this year; they’re the blueprint for a franchise trying to find its soul again. Whether it’s a block-buster trade for a Gold Glover or a late-night signing of a veteran like Max Scherzer for rotation depth, the next two weeks will define the 2026 season.
Stick to the beat reporters, ignore the "source: trust me" accounts on X, and wait for that Passan notification. It's coming.