Giants closer Brian Wilson will have to have Tommy John surgery. He will be lost for at least 18 months.
The Giants have spent a fortune on starting pitching, some analysts believe it is the best rotation in the NL.
But a loss of a closer so early in the season can blow up a championship run right out of the gate.
The Giants organization is the most budget conscious group in the majors. They refuse to add any big money to the payroll during the season. With Wilson gone, it appears that the team will try to bandage the bullpen closer role from within the team and minor league system.
There really is only one known free agent closer. Mike Gonzalez is available, but he has lost his status the last few years. He split time between Baltimore and Texas last season in more of a mop-up role.
The other prospect would be trading for a known closer. The only teams that would give up a closer are teams that know that they will not be in the race. Astros closer Brett Myers is going to be shopped at the trading deadline. Houston is in the midst of new ownership and a tear down of the roster. The team is looking to add depth at all positions and Myers is the best chip on the team to trade. However, his $11 million salary will put off most teams.
The Cubs Marmol may also be available. He also has a high salary. But Marmol has known command issues at times which may scare off teams in the heart of a pennant race more than his salary.
For whatever reason, the closer (9th inning) role has taken on more significance in recent years due to the sabremetric specialization of all baseball roles. There are some excellent 8th inning relievers who mentally cannot handle a "promotion" to the closer role.
It will be interesting to see how the Giants will mend their broken bullpen, especially when the Dodgers have had their best opening record in franchise history (9 wins one loss).
UPDATE:
Giants Manager Bruce Bochy has told the media that he would handle the Wilson loss with his current bullpen. The Giants had the second-lowest bullpen ERA in the National League in 201. Returning veterans Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo and Javier Lopez will handle the closer's role by committee.
