The Giants made a quiet but intriguing move this morning, signing outfielder Will Brennan to a one-year major league deal. To make room on the 40-man roster, they placed right-hander Rowan Wick on the 60-day injured list-a procedural move given Wick’s recovery timeline.
Brennan, 28, is coming off a lost season in 2026 after undergoing surgeries on both his left UCL and groin. But according to reports, he’s entering spring camp at full strength, with no restrictions. That’s significant for a player whose career has been repeatedly interrupted by injury but who’s shown flashes of being more than just a depth piece when healthy.
Originally an eighth-round pick by Cleveland in 2019, Brennan debuted in the majors in 2022 and has since compiled a .267/.307/.373 slash line across parts of four seasons. That’s a 90 wRC+ over 269 big league games-not eye-popping, but context matters. Injuries have limited his availability, and when he’s been right physically, the bat has played better than the surface numbers suggest.
Let’s rewind to 2024, his last mostly healthy campaign. Brennan posted a .264/.309/.388 line over 114 games with the Guardians-just shy of league average production (98 wRC+).
But if you zoom in on the pre-injury stretch, there’s more to like. Before a rib cage issue sidelined him, he was slashing .256/.314/.415 with a 107 wRC+, showing a bit more pop and plate discipline.
After returning in July, he struggled to regain form, going hitless over a nine-game stretch. But once he got his timing back-following a brief stint in Triple-A-he closed the season on a tear, hitting .330/.349/.408 (117 wRC+) from early August through the end of the year.
That late-season surge is what makes this signing worth watching. Brennan has shown he can hit when healthy, and his profile fits what the Giants seem to be building: contact-first hitters who don’t strike out much.
He’s cut from a similar cloth as Jung Hoo Lee and Luis Arraez-players who put the ball in play and pressure defenses. Lee’s 2025 season (107 wRC+, 2.4 fWAR) offers a realistic template for what Brennan could bring to the table if everything clicks.
Of course, the Giants’ outfield isn’t exactly wide open. Heliot Ramos, Harrison Bader, and Lee are penciled in as the starters, and there’s a crowd behind them competing for spots-Drew Gilbert, Luis Matos, and Grant McCray among them.
But Brennan has minor league options remaining, which gives the Giants flexibility. If he doesn’t break camp with the team, he can get regular at-bats in Triple-A and be ready when the opportunity arises.
This is a low-risk, potentially high-reward move. Brennan doesn’t need to be a star to make an impact-he just needs to stay healthy and hit enough to keep himself in the conversation. If he does that, he could force his way into a role, especially if the Giants need a steady left-handed bat off the bench or a short-term fill-in due to injury.
As for Rowan Wick, his placement on the 60-day IL was expected. The veteran reliever, who recently signed with the Giants after a strong run in Japan with the Yokohama DeNA Bay Stars, is recovering from Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to pitch in 2026. This move simply clears the roster spot while he rehabs.
In all, the Giants are taking a smart flier on a player with untapped potential. Brennan’s path to playing time won’t be easy, but if his body holds up and the bat comes alive, he could become a valuable piece in San Francisco’s outfield puzzle.
