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Five SF Giants players from the 2026 season become free agents

They hit the open market
ByJeff Young
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Sep 22, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Osleivis Basabe (39) watches the ball behind Minnesota Twins catcher Victor Caratini (37) during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Sep 22, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants second baseman Osleivis Basabe (39) watches the ball behind Minnesota Twins catcher Victor Caratini (37) during the ninth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As part of the roster purge, Osleivis Basabe, Joel Kuhnel, Andrew Knizner, and Matt Gage cleared waivers. All four players, along with Will Brennan, elected free agency, per the team's transaction log.

They are now free to sign with new teams. September proved to be an audition for a lot of inexperienced players. That said, the club only went 8-16 in September, and there were few standout performances during that stretch.

Basabe got a good bit of playing time, due in large part to the Giants having few other infield alternatives. Shay Whitcomb and Brett Harris were added to the mix late in the year. However, they were also impacted by the roster crunch. Oddly enough, both players ended up with the Philadelphia Phillies.

On the other hand, Basabe posted a .609 OPS with five home runs and 13 RBI in 143 plate appearances. Three of his home runs came right after he was called up, so that earned him some more playing time.

SF Giants should try to reunite with at least one free agent on a non-guaranteed deal

However, the Giants need more variance in terms of plate discipline, given that they had the lowest walk rate in baseball at 7.4 percent. Basabe does not bring that trait to the table. He tallied a 6.3 percent walk rate, along with a .268 on-base percentage.

Andrew Knizner was added late in the year, and the Giants brought him back in an emergency. They ran out of catching depth and needed a veteran backstop to pair with Drew Cavanaugh to get through the season.

Matt Gage got off to a nice start, but he struggled badly after that. Tony Vitello often relied on him as a situational lefty with traffic on the bases, but an injury likely impacted his performance. Overall, the southpaw pitcher posted a 5.60 ERA in 34 appearances. The Giants' depth chart from the left side is extremely thin, so it would make sense for the Giants to pursue a pitcher like that on a non-guaranteed deal.

Lastly, Joel Kuhnel and Will Brennan appeared briefly with the Giants. Kuhnel was another late addition to the roster. He posted a 2.79 ERA in 9.2 frames for San Francisco. Brennan put together a strong spring, but registered just two hits in 23 at-bats.

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