Giants Front Office Eyes Blue Jays, Brewers’ Strategies for Future Success
The San Francisco Giants’ leadership is looking to the postseason performances of the Toronto Blue Jays and Milwaukee Brewers as models for improving their own team’s performance, particularly in areas of situational hitting and contact rates.
Both the Blue Jays and Brewers have demonstrated a focus on “doing the little things” – making consistent contact, advancing runners, and capitalizing with runners in scoring position – qualities Giants President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has repeatedly emphasized. The Blue Jays currently average just 5.5 strikeouts per postseason game, the fewest among playoff teams, while the Brewers average 7.3. This contrasts sharply with the Giants, who reached double-digit strikeouts in 62 games this season. This emphasis on putting the ball in play is becoming increasingly crucial as pitching velocity and advanced technology continue to evolve in the sport.
Posey acknowledged the need for a more balanced approach, stating, “I think that’s fair. I think you need a balance. You’re going to need some guys that are probably going to swing and miss more but have the ability to hit the ball out of the park, but you also need the guys that are going to swing and miss less and be more line-drive, contact oriented.” Players like Kyle Tucker, known for his contact hitting, could be targets in free agency, though Posey also indicated he wouldn’t drastically overhaul the approaches of existing players. For more on the Giants’ roster and potential moves, see the official MLB website.
The Blue Jays and Brewers also excel in base running and depth, boasting 19 and 18 players respectively with at least a 1.0 WAR, compared to the Giants’ struggles in these areas. The Giants finished last in the National League in stolen bases this season. This strategic focus comes as MLB prepares to implement an automated ball-strike system in 2026, which some players, like Matt Chapman, believe will further reward contact hitting. The implementation of new technology is expected to impact player strategies across the league, as detailed by ESPN.
The Giants’ front office will continue to evaluate potential acquisitions and refine their development strategies, with the goal of building a more consistent and fundamentally sound team capable of contending in the competitive National League West.
