Five Off the 40-Man as San Francisco Starts Clearing House

The Giants cut five players from their 40-man roster Wednesday, the first formal roster move of what figures to be a busy offseason in San Francisco. No specific names were attached to the moves in the initial reporting, but the action itself is the signal — a 65-97 team doesn't purge its roster in late October to tinker around the edges.

This was a season that went sideways early and never recovered. The Giants lost six straight in late April, never found a sustained run, and finished with their worst record in years after hovering near .500 in both 2024 and 2025. By September the 60-day IL had swallowed 15 players, the rotation was running on fumes, and the trade deadline had already sent Heliot Ramos to New York. The five departures Wednesday are the front office acknowledging what the standings made obvious months ago.

The more interesting question now is what comes next. There's already conversation around which free-agent hitters might fit whatever offensive profile the organization is building toward. With a roster this thin and this many moving parts — injuries, arbitration cases, players who need 40-man protection — the five cuts Wednesday are probably the first of several waves before spring.