
3 SF Giants players who will not survive on the roster past the MLB trade deadline
3. Curt Casali
This is another tough one because Curt Casali is well-respected in the clubhouse and just a good veteran to have on the roster. However, the Giants cannot carry three catchers on the active roster for long.
The club hopes that Tom Murphy will return at some point this season. Despite getting off to a slow start, the right-handed bat had a solid.879 OPS while serving as a backup catcher for the Seattle Mariners in the two years leading up to this one.
The veteran backstop has not looked like that type of hitter yet, registering just four hits in 34 at-bats before landing on the injured list with a knee sprain. The severity of the sprain was significant enough that he was immediately transferred to the 60-day injured list.
The Giants brought back Casali to give them a reliable backup catcher. He has posted just a .459 OPS in 38 plate appearances since rejoining the club. That said, the team still finds a way to win as they are 7-3 when he starts. Perhaps, there is still some of that 2021 magic with Casali.
Murphy will be out until the middle of July, but once he get close to a return, it could make for a tough decision with Casali. The Giants did commit a two-year deal to Murphy in the offseason, so he is not going anywhere. It could leave Casali without a roster spot.