SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants knew they would likely get the news Monday that they were losing their starting third baseman for the rest of the 2026 MLB season, but they did not also anticipate losing their primary catcher.
A day after fouling a ball off his knee, Daniel Susac was diagnosed with a left patella fracture. The latest injury led to a scramble for the organization, which already has used six catchers this season and now has two young catchers dealing with serious injuries.
The plan was to lean on Susac, Drew Cavanaugh and Jesus Rodriguez down the stretch, but Rodriguez is on the IL with elbow neuritis and is not close to returning. With Susac out, Cavanaugh will be the starter the rest of the way, a stunning development for a 24-year-old who started the season in Double-A without much of a realistic path to the big leagues.
The Giants shook it up early, though, trading Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians to open opportunities for Susac, and the Rule 5 Draft selection took full advantage. If this is it for Susac in 2026, he’ll finish with a .664 OPS and three homers. More importantly, he ranks sixth among big league catchers in Fielding Run Value, a few spots ahead of Bailey, and has been one of the more effective catchers in terms of controlling the running game.
“I think what he did was incredibly impressive, and it really started right out of the shoot in spring training,” manager Tony Vitello said. “He was great, but I think back (behind the plate) is where he really, really developed. I think as strength comes and more at-bats come, he’s going to find that comfort zone at the plate and I don’t think he’s just going to be a defensive catcher.
“We all know how hard it is to have offensive production back there, but it was fun seeing the development catching-wise.”
Susac will end up spending just enough time on the active roster for the Giants to hold his rights and not have to offer him back to the Athletics, who had him before the Rule 5 Draft. He likely will enter next season as the favorite to be the starting catcher, although the Giants like all three young options they have. Cavanaugh has been rushed a bit but still entered Monday’s game with a .362 on-base percentage.
The Giants called up Zach Morgan from Triple-A to fill in on Monday night, but are working on more experienced options for the remainder of the season. They might actually have a chance to turn to a familiar face.
Eric Haase is in Triple-A with the Chicago White Sox, although they might need him at some point, in part because Joey Bart recently got hurt. Andrew Knizner and Chadwick Tromp recently became minor league free agents, and Logan Porter — who was with the Giants earlier this year — currently is in Triple-A with the Los Angeles Angels.
End of His Year
As expected, Matt Chapman will have season-ending surgery on his injured core on Tuesday. Chapman has a muscle tear and hernia and went to Philadelphia for a second opinion, but he anticipated getting the news that he would need surgery.
Chapman will end up playing 84 games, his fewest in a non-pandemic season since his rookie year. He finished with a career-low .692 OPS and just seven homers, but the defensive metrics were strong as always. Even with all of the missed time, Chapman is tied for third in the majors in Outs Above Average at third base.
The Giants have been starting Christian Koss at third since Casey Schmitt also went down, but Marcelo Mayer is close to starting a rehab assignment. He’ll likely get starts at second and third.
Some Good News
Matt Gage (left elbow strain) and Jose Butto (removal of a blood clot) threw bullpen sessions in the afternoon, and both were pleased with how they felt. Butto remains a long shot to return this season, but he has sailed through the rehab process, and if he doesn’t get off a big league mound before the end of September, he should have a normal offseason.
Gage avoided Tommy John surgery, instead getting PRP and lubricant injections in his elbow. Because he’s 33, there was a push to try non-surgical methods, and so far it seems to have worked. Gage said he feels great, and if all goes well in his next bullpen session he could start a rehab assignment next week.
Reliever Joel Peguero also is making good progress and will join Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday. Peguero’s season has been wrecked by persistent hamstring injuries, but he has a chance to spend September back in the big leagues.