Former Tampa Bay Ray pitcher and now San Francisco Giant Adrian Houser is seen here pitching against the Chicago Cubs Sep 24, 2025 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Houser signed a 2 year $22 million contract with the Giants on Dec 20, 2026 (AP News photo)

Can the Giants catch the Dodgers in 2026?

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

It is not too early to talk about the 2026 season, especially because an owners’ lockout after this year’s World Series is inevitable. The Super Bowl is coming to the South Bay in February at Levi’s Stadium, and right after that game, Adiós winter and Bienvenido Baseball.

Pitchers and Catchers will report to Spring Training by early to mid February. The Giants report to Scottsdale Stadium and the Dodgers to Camelback Ranch. Both in the Valley of the Sun,Phoenix,  Last season, the Giants finished 81-81 (3rd in the NL West), which is the definition of mediocre/unremarkable/no bueno. 

The focus now is on what these teams are doing to improve for the 2026 season. While the Giants are like a car that needs lots of repair, the Dodgers have been adding more stars and spending big money; what else is new? They are already favorites to win their third consecutive World Series.  2025 Dodger Stadium attendance: 4,012,470.

Let’s look at what these two eternal rivals have been doing during the winter.

-The Giants: Signed Adrian Houser for 2 years and Tyler Mahle for 1 year to bolster their rotation. This was an interesting acquisition: they also secured a top international shortstop, Luis Hernández, a 17-year-old Venezuelan who left his troubled country and traveled to the Dominican Republic. The Giants signed the kid for a $5 million bonus. However, the Giants’ most interesting move was not a player but hiring Tony Vitello as manager.

Their 40th manager in their history on October 22, 2025, marking the first time an MLB team appointed a manager directly from college baseball without any prior professional baseball experience (playing or coaching). While other managers have had limited or no pro playing time. At the time of this article, veteran pitcher Justin Verlander is being sought by a few teams; it appears the Giants have no interest in keeping the future Hall of Famer, who might soon sign with another team.

-The Dodgers. As we all know, there are two things a Giants fan loves more than anything else: 1-When the Giants win, and  2-When the Dodgers lose. This rivalry dates back to the days when both teams were in New York, separated by the Bronx and Brooklyn. Now they are 400 miles apart, and the rivalry is as hot as ever. The Giants have so far been frugal, not opening the bank to sign any big free-agent player.

The Dodgers signed elite closer Edwin Díaz to a 3-year, $69 million contract (the largest ever for a reliever), also signed outfielder Kyle Tucker to a 4-year, $240 million contract, and signed veteran outfielder Andy Ibañez, bolstering their 2026 roster. The Kyle Tucker deal added to their existing high-salary roster. Is there inequity in the game? Does it rain in Seattle? Last season, the Dodgers’ payroll on Opening Day was $325.9 million, the Miami Marlins’ was $69 million, and the Homeless A’s about the same.

The Dodgers’ signing of outfielder Kyle Tucker, adding to their existing high-salary roster, gives Giants fans another reason to hate the Dodgers. MLB owners are reportedly raging and determined to push for a salary cap in the next CBA, following the Dodgers’ massive contract with Tucker. Sources calling a salary cap push “100 percent certainty” that will lead to a lockout and possibly no baseball in 2027.

Major League Baseball owners last locked out players in December 2021, halting off-season activities and transactions for 99 days until a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) was reached in March 2022, marking the first MLB work stoppage since the 1994-85 player strike.

Finally, If the Giants want to catch the Dodgers, they better do it now in the 2026 season because after that, there will be nobody warming up in the bullpen.

Quote: “There are only two seasons – winter and baseball.” – Bill Veeck

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

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