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SF Giants continue roster purge by sending Andrew Knizner outright to Sacramento

He will likely become a free agent
ByJeff Young
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Sep 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Andrew Knizner (19) leaves the field after the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Sep 19, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Andrew Knizner (19) leaves the field after the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Friday, the SF Giants continued to purge the roster in anticipation of the looming deadline to activate all 16 players from the 60-day injured list. According to a team announcement, Andrew Knizner cleared waivers and was sent outright to Sacramento.

That brings the number of players on the 40-man roster down to 34, but the Giants have plenty of work to do. They will need to make at least 10 more roster moves in the next few days. Those moves could range from activating players from the 60-day injured list to placing others on waivers, and they might even work a trade or two.

It should be a busy week for what could be a quiet winter if there is not enough progress made on the next Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) before the current one expires.

Knizner was a logical choice to make off the 40-man roster. He has cleared waivers previously, so he will have the option to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency. That is the likely outcome, given that teams always need catching depth and he can then pick his next team.

With Andrew Knizner likely to elect free agency, the SF Giants will need some veteran depth at catcher

The Giants added Knizer late in the season when they ran out of catching depth. Daniel Susac landed on the injured list in August with a knee injury, so Zach Morgan was called up. Knizner was added to a major league deal shortly thereafter.

The Giants know Knizner well at this point. He has appeared in eight major league seasons, including the last two years with the Giants. Knizner posted a .644 OPS with two home runs and four RBI in 80 plate appearances with San Francisco.

Knizner graded out unfavorably behind the plate, recording -5 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -6 Fielding Run Value (FRV). While this was accumulated in a relatively small sample of 181 innings, it continued a trend of being a below-average defender throughout his career.

The veteran backstop was also eligible for arbitration. He was projected to earn $1 million in 2027, per MLB Trade Rumors. That was another reason to move him off the 40-man roster.

As currently constructed, the Giants will lean on inexperience behind the plate, with Daniel Susac and Drew Cavanaugh leading the way. They should look to add more veteran experience at catcher, but that will likely come as a minor league signing.

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