SAN FRANCISCO — The first Monday of the MLB offseason was remarkably busy for the Giants.
The front office removed nine players from the roster, a purge that was necessary after a season in which they used a record 71 players. These measures are a continuation of a process that began shortly after the World Series, when the organization lost Grant McCray and others.
As the Giants worked to get their roster down to 40 players before Monday’s deadline, they lost several players to waivers, but most of them were players they claimed themselves.
On Monday, they lost Jose Butto (Texas Rangers), Duncan Davitt (Cincinnati Reds), Brett Harris (Philadelphies Phillies), Shay Whitcomb (Phillies) and Zach Morgan (Baltimore Orioles). They also cut Joel Kuhnel and Seth Lonsway from their roster and released Tristan Beck, who is looking for an opportunity to pitch in Asia next season. Reiver Sanmartin was designated for this mission.
Perhaps most surprising was Butto, as the right-hander was once considered a potential passer after being acquired in the Tyler Rogers trade in 2025. Butto made just three appearances this season before undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot. He recovered at the end of the year and could have been in contention for a spot in the bullpen next spring.
The longest-tenured of that group was Beck, acquired from the Atlanta Braves in 2019 when the Giants found a way to shed Mark Melancon’s contract. Beck has made 85 appearances over the past four seasons, posting a 4.08 ERA. In particular, he was to assist player representative Logan Webb during collective negotiations this offseason.
The Giants found themselves in a unique position because of how their season ended. It seemed like a key player was going on the IL every week, and they finished the year with 24 players on the roster, 10 more than the next closest team. An incredible 17 of them were on the 60-day IL, led by players like Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Casey Schmitt, all of whom underwent season-ending surgery.
Although the purge seemed daunting, team officials felt it wouldn’t be that difficult to get closer to 17, as many of those cuts involved players who were subject to waiver claims intended to help fill out the roster in September. There were, however, some difficult decisions.
Last week, the Giants lost McCray to the Seattle Mariners after attempting to place him on waivers. On Sunday, young second baseman Nate Furman was traded to the Washington Nationals. The Giants liked Furman’s batting skills, but they already have Schmitt and Marcelo Mayer in the mix at second base, and prospect Gavin Kilen is in Double-A and could be an option in 2027.
As part of the initial wave, Jason Foley, Osleivis Basabe, Matt Gage and Jason Knizner were left off the 40-man roster outright. Rookie right-hander Braxton Roxby was claimed by the Nationals last week. An additional spot was vacated when JT Brubaker became a free agent.
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