SF Giants sneak in waiver claim from Mariners ahead of 2026 MLB trade deadline

On Sunday, the SF Giants quietly snuck in a waiver claim. They brought back infielder Buddy Kennedy, who had recently been placed on waivers by the Seattle Mariners. In a corresponding move, Matt Gage was transferred to the 60-day injured list, per the team's transaction log.

The Giants do not make quite as many transactions with the Mariners as they did a few years ago. Back then, it felt like both teams engaged in a transaction about once a week. In May of 2022, there were a handful of players who went from one team to the other.

The latest move feels like it is unintentionally paying homage to those transactions from a few years ago. You may remember that the Giants signed Buddy Kennedy in the offseason to a minor league deal. This included a camp invite. He did not make the team, but he was added to the 40-man roster at the beginning of June.

Kennedy's first act in a Giants uniform was to pitch in a blowout game against the Milwaukee Brewers. That was a 16-2 loss, and that was probably his most memorable moment with San Francisco. He tallied 17 plate appearances, collecting only two hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.

SF Giants may need infield depth after the 2026 MLB trade deadline

The Giants placed Kennedy on waivers at the end of June. The ironic part of this transaction? He was traded to the Mariners for cash considerations. Now, he returns to the Giants organization after a brief hiatus.

The Giants may need the extra depth with the trade deadline coming up. Luis Arráez and Robbie Ray are among the players who are expected to be on the move. Kennedy would not be able to fill Arráez's role, but he has some experience in the infield. This may just be a precautionary move.

On the other side of the transaction, Matt Gage was transferred to the 60-day injured list. He has been on the injured list since the beginning of July with an elbow strain. The severity of the strain has not yet been announced, but they hope he can avoid surgery. That said, the earliest he is now eligible to return is September.

The southpaw pitcher got off to a nice start, but struggled as the season progressed. Overall, he pitched to a 5.60 ERA in 34 appearances.

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