The SF Giants are staring at a roster shuffle that could reshape the 40-man by the end of the day.
With the deadline to get rosters set now here, the Giants have no fewer than nine moves to make, and maybe more depending on how they handle the rest of the crunch. The 60-day injured list goes away in the offseason, which means any player sitting there has to be activated within five days after the World Series ends.
That has left San Francisco with a roster squeeze that has been building for months. By the end of the season, the Giants were carrying coverage all over the roster, and anyone dealing with an injury that would keep them out for more than a couple of weeks was likely parked on the 60-day injured list.
The good news for the Giants is that they have room to work with. The 40-man roster is at 33, and there are enough soft spots that they can clear at least 10 spots without much trouble.
The trimming started last week. Grant McCray was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners, and Braxton Roxby went to the Washington Nationals in a waiver claim. Then on Sunday night, San Francisco and Washington hooked up again, with Nate Furman going to the Nationals in exchange for left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck.
Matt Gage, Andrew Knizner, Jason Foley, and Osleivis Basabe all cleared waivers and were sent outright to Sacramento. Each can reject the minor league assignment and choose free agency, and that is the likely path for all four.
Even after those moves, the Giants still have 16 players on the 60-day injured list. Every one of them has to be activated or exposed to waivers, and the club does not appear to have any obvious candidates there to risk on waivers.
Carson Whisenhunt, Trevor McDonald, and Blade Tidwell add another layer to the puzzle. All three will be recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2027, so the front office has to decide whether keeping all three on the roster makes sense this offseason.
There’s also the arbitration group to sort through. The Giants have seven players still eligible, including Rowan Wick, and while the non-tender deadline is later in November, any player they don’t intend to keep could wind up on the chopping block. Ryan Walker and José Buttó stand out as two of the more vulnerable names in that group.
Most of the turnover figures to come on the pitching side. Duncan Davitt and Joel Kuhnel, along with veteran addition Tristan Beck, are among the players most likely to be affected by the roster squeeze.
And there could still be a trade or two mixed in before the dust settles. The Giants have until 2 PM to finish their business, and if history is any guide, they may wait until the last possible moment to make it official.
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The timing also matters for the booth, where the Giants still have not announced a replacement for Mike Krukow after his recent retirement. Kuiper is expected to remain the play-by-play voice next season, and seeing him out in the Bay Area and engaged with another local team offered a small but meaningful bit of optimism for a fan base that has had plenty of questions about what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Opened Another 40-Man Spot For What Comes Next
The Giants cleared another spot on the 40-man roster by dealing infielder Nate Furman to the Nationals for minor league left-hander Tony Neubeck, a move that fits the kind of small but meaningful roster churn that often comes this time of year. Furman had already reached the majors with San Francisco and brought a track record of getting on base and adding speed in the minors, so this was not just a paper move for the front office.
For the Giants, the real significance is what the opening can mean next, especially with roster flexibility always at a premium as the season moves along. Neubeck is still early in his pro career after signing as a free agent, while Washington made room by designating Richard Lovelady for assignment, leaving San Francisco with a little more breathing room for whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Just Turned A 40-Man Squeeze Into An Intriguing Pitching Bet
The Giants used a roster move to clear some room on a crowded 40-man as they head into the offseason, sending Nate Furman to the Nationals for left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck. It is the kind of transaction that rarely grabs headlines on its own, but it fits the reality San Francisco is facing right now, with players set to return from the 60-day injured list and roster spots becoming a premium.
Furmans limited major league success made him a movable piece, and the deal gives the Giants a chance to take a look at a pitching arm while keeping their roster flexible. For a club trying to balance immediate housekeeping with longer-term pitching depth, this is the sort of bet that can look minor in November and matter more once the offseason churn really begins. [Read more 🡒]