Sonja Chen filled in for Maria Guardado in this edition of the Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The frequent use of the opener strategy was, for better or for worse, a defining factor of the Giants' 2023 campaign. 

With 13 opening nods to his name, Ryan Walker was used the most in that role last year. And while he enjoyed it, he's ready to turn the page.

"The role was very fun, and it was cool that they had that trust in me to do that role," Walker said at last Saturday's FanFest tour stop in Sacramento, Calif. "But I think it will be better for the bullpen, and for the team overall, to have a five-man rotation. I think it'll help our bullpen stay a bit more energized for the whole year."

Walker made the fourth-most starts for the Giants last season, trailing only Logan Webb (33), Alex Cobb (28) and Anthony DeSclafani (18). The rookie right-hander rose to the occasion when called upon to open games, allowing six runs (five earned) in 20 1/3 innings for a 2.21 ERA.

Of course, if all goes according to plan moving forward, there will be no need for the opener in 2024.

That's a big "if," considering how much the success of San Francisco's rotation will hinge on Jordan Hicks making a successful conversion to starting and Alex Cobb (left hip surgery) and Robbie Ray (Tommy John) returning to form when they rejoin the team midway through the season, among other factors.

Nevertheless, Giants manager Bob Melvin and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi last week stated their intention to move away from the opener strategy this coming season. That doesn't mean that the team won't use openers at all. If certain situations necessitate it, "it might happen, but that's not our goal," Zaidi said.

With his sophomore season fast approaching, Walker, 28, is focused on reestablishing himself in the Giants' bullpen -- and perhaps carving out a new niche.

"All I want to do is have a role, prove myself and get myself a position that I've earned," he said. 

Walker arguably did enough as a rookie to warrant a spot on the 2024 Opening Day roster. Following his Major League debut on May 21, the right-hander became a key arm on San Francisco's hybrid pitching staff, recording a 3.23 ERA in 49 appearances (61 1/3 innings) overall, including his opening nods.

Aside from a stint on the paternity list in late August, Walker remained with the big league club the rest of the way after being called up. Along with his offseason work, Walker and his wife have been busy taking care of their new daughter, which he said has been "pretty challenging and fun at the same time."

When it comes to his role for next season, all Walker knows as of now is that he probably won't be opening games. That's not a problem for him because he likes being a versatile option in relief. And when it comes down to it, Walker trusts the coaching staff, which includes newcomers Bryan Price (pitching coach) and Garvin Alston (bullpen coach), to find the right situations for him to succeed.

"I think it's good to be flexible in a sense and be able to take care of different roles, whether that's multiple innings, whether that's a setup, closer, whatever," he said. "But also, consistency is great, too. When you know the situation you're going to go in, you can really prepare for that."