The Giants designated Luis Matos for assignment on Wednesday morning
San Francisco Giants’ Luis Matos rounds second base after hitting a solo home run in the third inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, May 3, 2025. to Triple-A Sacramento last Thursday, the last major decision the team’s brass had to make for the Opening Day roster was whether to carry outfielder Luis Matos.
The decision wasn’t as simple as picking between Matos and non-roster invitee Jared Oliva. If Matos didn’t make the team, San Francisco would have to designate him for assignment, effectively ending his time in the organization. On Wednesday morning, the “It’s a collective decision with , with Tony and his staff. The Matos one was hard,” said president of baseball operations Buster Posey. “He’s been a Giant for a while now. Ultimately, felt like carrying Oliva with what he could do on the basepaths defensively is a weapon for us.” While Matos could clear waivers and return, the 24-year-old outfielder will likely be swooped up by another organization willing to take a shot on his upside. Matos never consistently produced in San Francisco, posting a .650 OPS over 178 games, but he still has appeal as a player due to his combination of youth and skill set. He may develop into an everyday player, but that opportunity won’t be in San Francisco.Oliva, 30, is six years older than Matos and hasn’t played in the majors since 2021, but he has the ideal traits of a backup outfielder. He boasts elite speed, swiping 14 bases on 15 attempts during spring training, and can play all three outfield positions. “Just looking back since 2021, it’s been a lot of hard times,” Oliva said. “It’s been very tough. A lot of times you look at yourself in the mirror, and I don’t want to say you question if you keep going, but you feel like you’re going against the current sometimes. It’s amazing what this game can reward you with if you just keep your head down and keep working.” One potential factor that may have played a role in the team’s decision to designate Matos for assignment is the emergence of outfielder Victor Bericoto. The 24-year-old Bericoto had an excellent spring, hitting .419 with three home runs and a 1.120 OPS over 21 games en route to winning the. If the Giants believe that Bericoto has legitimate upside, that could’ve played a role in prioritizing Oliva’s skill set. That said, the emergence of Bericoto didn’t make cutting Matos any easier. “ shown flashes of being a really good big leaguer,” Posey said. “I’m not sure if it makes it easier, but Bericoto’s spring was great. For him and what we’ve all seen, the hit ability is there. He has a really good arm in the outfield. As far as route efficiency and whatnot … there’s some work to do there still.” Another young player with work still to be done is Eldridge, who will start his season with Triple-A Sacramento. Posey doesn’t have a date as to when they will call up Eldridge, who made his season debut last September, but the expectation is that he will contribute in San Francisco at some point this season. “For a 21-year-old, his skill set is already very, very refined as a hitter,” Posey said. “I think as much as anything, it’s about figuring out how you compete in certain moments, whether you have to raise the energy level, bring the energy level down a little bit. We saw between the Sacramento and the first game here , he got some really good swings off. “Bryce has a bright future in front of him, and I think what he’s got going on for him the most is his belief in his own ability. But also, from what I can tell, his understanding of the changes that he needs to make to become the best player he can be.”has the most closing experience of anyone on the roster, but San Francisco will not be going into the season with a definitive closer. Along with Walker and left-hander“We want to assess the situation as the game goes on,” Vitello said. “With , a lot of those conversations are done well in advance of making a move. To be honest, there are several scenarios where it could be a few different guys.” While the bullpen has three left-handed relievers , the Giants’ bench doesn’t have a single left-handed batter. Will Brennan, Drew Gilbert and Grant McCray were possibilities for the roster, but San Francisco’s bench on Opening Day will feature Oliva, Jerar Encarnacion, Christian Koss and Daniel Susac — all right-handed hitters.Much of SF Giants-Yankees opening series won’t be on NBC Sports Bay Area. Here’s how to watchSF Giants’ fan food: What’s new for the 2026 baseball season The Giants, of course, aren’t devoid of left-handed hitters. Their lineup, depending on the day, can have as many as four: Rafael Devers, Luis Arraez, Jung Hoo Lee and Patrick Bailey . For Posey, that lineup depth played a part in starting the season without a left-handed hitter on the bench. “I think we took comfort in the fact that we’re going to use 40 to 50 guys over the course of a year, and we’re going to need a left-handed bat at some point,” Vitello said. Another tough decision was selecting Daniel Susac or Eric Haase to be Patrick Bailey’s backup catcher. Posey said Susac’s status as a Rule 5 Draft pick did not factor into the decision. Haase, 33, had eight major league seasons’ worth of experience under his belt, but the Giants elected to roll with the 24-year-old Susac, the younger brother of former Giant Andrew Susac . “We really wanted to see which player stood out for both of us, and we thought that both played well,” Posey said. “Daniel, I think the most important part, carried himself well defensively and swung the bat well.”Site of notorious Oakland In-N-Out gets another chanceHarriette Cole: Should I ask the bride why she's billing her wedding guests?Warriors' MRI reveals severity of Moody's gruesome knee injuryCalifornia governor debate draws backlash over who made the stage
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