San Francisco Giants Make Surprising Roster Moves
On Monday, September 15, 2025, the San Francisco Giants made two unexpected roster decisions. They optioned Luis Matos to Triple-A Sacramento and designated infielder Brett Wisely for assignment.
These moves were made to clear space on both the 28-man active roster and the 40-man roster for top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who was called up and made his MLB debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on the same day.
The Giants are hoping Eldridge can provide the spark they need to claim the third and final wild-card spot in the National League playoffs. Clearly, the team doesn’t believe Matos or Wisely will contribute to that playoff push.
Why Matos Was Demoted
Luis Matos’s demotion would have been unthinkable just two weeks ago. Since being recalled from Triple-A on August 21, 2025, Matos has been solid, hitting .328 with 3 home runs, 9 RBIs, and 13 runs scored. His improved patience at the plate was evident, and many Giants fans expected him to form a platoon in right field with left-handed hitter Drew Gilbert.
However, instead of Matos, the Giants chose to keep Jerar Encarnacion, Grant McCray, and Gilbert on the roster to handle right field duties. Of this group, only Gilbert has posted a higher batting average than Matos this season. Encarnacion is hitting .171, and McCray is at .100.
Matos, despite his speed and athleticism, has struggled defensively in the outfield, which likely factored into the decision. Additionally, his recent slump—just 1 hit in his last 5 games—didn’t help his cause. In the end, the Giants seem to have more confidence in McCray, Encarnacion, and Gilbert than in Matos.
With Matos now out of options, it’s possible that his time with the Giants is over.
What’s Next for Brett Wisely?
Brett Wisely’s role with the Giants has been diminished, with Christian Koss stepping into a similar role and outperforming Wisely. With Koss and Casey Schmitt handling second base, there was simply no room for Wisely on the active roster.
The Giants acquired Wisely in a minor league trade with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2022. He will likely be claimed off waivers by another team.
In 91 games in 2024, Wisely posted a .238 batting average with 4 home runs and 31 RBIs—solid numbers for a second baseman. However, Wisely’s versatility has been his true strength, as he’s played multiple positions, including second base, shortstop, third base, center field, left field, first base, and even pitched in a few games.
While he’s not a game-changer like Shohei Ohtani, Wisely is a reliable defender and a valuable utility player—exactly the type of player suited to the Giants’ previous system under Farhan Zaidi. Now that Zaidi is no longer with the team, Wisely became expendable, but teams in need of a flexible big league hitter will likely take a chance on him.
Giants fans won’t forget Wisely’s contributions, including an iconic walk-off home run against the Dodgers in 2024, which will remain one of his most memorable moments in San Francisco.
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