SAN FRANCISCO. The Giants announced this Friday the return of two figures much loved by the fans: Javier López and Curt Casali. Both will join the baseball operations team as advisors, reinforcing the working group led by Buster Posey, president of baseball operations. In addition, the promotion of Paul Bien was announced, who previously served as vice president of baseball analytics for four seasons. Now, Bien will take on the role of assistant general manager.
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Two former players return home
Curt Casali, 37, had a distinguished career as a catcher in the Major Leagues for 11 seasons, including two stints with the Giants (2021-2022 and 2024). In 2021, he was Posey’s backup during the historic 107-win season. He participated in 41 games in 2022 before being traded to the Mariners. Javier López, 48, is a legend in San Francisco. The left-handed reliever was a fundamental part of the “Core Four” of the bullpen, contributing to the World Series championships of 2010, 2012, and 2014. A member of the organization’s Wall of Fame since 2024, López has worked as a television analyst for NBC Sports Bay Area since his retirement in 2016, and will continue in this role while taking on his new position in the front office.A team of top-level advisors
With the addition of López and Casali, the Giants strengthen their team of advisors, who report directly to Posey. This group includes important names in the recent history of the franchise: Bruce Bochy and Dusty Baker, former champion managers.Edwin Díaz: The Most Coveted Closer
Puerto Rican Edwin Díaz continues to stand out as the best reliever available in free agency heading to 2026. Despite using only two pitches (fastball and slider), both have become very effective weapons. After recovering from a knee injury that kept him out in 2023, Díaz has managed to balance his repertoire. He has achieved a run value of +12 with both his fastball and his slider since 2024, according to Statcast. This balance positions him among the six MLB relievers whose two main pitches generate a similar positive impact in preventing runs. The right-handed closer has recorded an ERA of 2.48, with 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings, minimizing damage with both pitches.Statcast Analysis
Here’s a comparative analysis of Statcast:- 2020-2022
- Slider: average against .132, SLG .155, 53% swinging strikes.
- Fastball: average .241, SLG .388.
- 2024-2025
- Slider: .182 / .304, 42% missed swings.
- Fastball: .160 / .249.
