Catcher Daniel Susac (6) waits for the pitch during a spring training game between the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners at Peoria Stadium in Peoria, Ariz., on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026. The Giants won 10-5 in Tony Vitello’s first win as a major league manager.
Carlos Avila Gonzalez/S.F. Chronicle
Hotly contested roster battles characterized the San Francisco Giants’ spring training, a positive development — everyone on the bubble played well — but tough for decision makers.
The Opening Day roster deadline arrived at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and the Giants’ final result included two terrific stories: outfielder Jared Oliva is back in the majors after five years, and reliever Caleb Kilian completes his full circle after getting traded to the Cubs in the Kris Bryant deal and finally will play for the Giants, his original organization.
As the Chronicle first reported Tuesday, outfielder Luis Matos was designated for assignment, with the Giants opting for Oliva’s speed and superior defensive ability.
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“If Matos ends up clearing, we’ll be happy to have him back,” president of baseball operations Buster Posey said, mentioning later Matos’ 16-RBI Player of the Week honors two years ago. “Matos is a guy who’s shown flashes.”
Oliva led the Cactus League in steals, with 14, and showed he can bunt for hits and that he plays all three outfield spots well — plus he hit .375 and scored 16 runs. The Giants would like to push the action on the bases and be more aggressive with their outfield defense — Oliva fits that profile, though he bounced around the past few years, including stints in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. At 30, he has moved out of prospect territory, but has stuck around because he felt he had something to offer and regretted not making the most of his chance with the Pirates.
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“It was something I wanted to do,” Oliva said of sticking around for another opportunity. “I believe in myself.”
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When he got the news, Oliva called his parents, David and Beth, first. He was still hearing from people Wednesday.
“It’s pretty cool to look back and hear from a lot of teammates, a lot of family, friends,” Oliva said. “You just realize the support system you have all during this time. It’s even more special, Opening Day — special in general, but that just added to something to it.”
The toughest decision for the front office was at the backup catcher spot, which featured Rule 5 selection Daniel Susac and veteran nonroster player Eric Haase. Both performed so well all spring, manager Tony Vitello said numerous times that it was impossible to say who might get the job and Wednesday, he called the decision “challenging.”
Ultimately, the front office, run by former catcher Posey, went with the promising youngster with power, Susac, who must remain on the roster all year to be assured of staying with the organization. Haase, the experienced veteran and better defensive option, had an opt-out in his deal and he was released. The Giants would love to take him back, if he doesn’t find a position that he prefers.
“I’d like to see Haase again,” Vitello said. “I’d like to hang out with him again. I’d like to be in the same uniform as him. We’ll see if that time comes. But we’re definitely pleased with Susac. … I’m not so sure if we played 30 more games, it wouldn’t be just dead even in a lot of different categories.”
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Susac said the first person to congratulate him was Haase; the two became close during the spring and Haase said the previous evening that he was really proud of Susac, who batted .350 with two homers and a .936 OPS this spring.
Susac is the younger brother of former Giants catcher Andrew Susac, who was in attendance Tuesday night; the brothers are from Sacramento and Daniel Susac was expecting a big crowd of family and friends. “My brother was especially pumped up,” the younger Susac said.
This week was not his first time in the Giants’ clubhouse, though. When Daniel Susac was 14, he visited his brother on what turned out to be a special night.
“I was here for the Travis Ishikawa game, when he hit the walkoff,” Susac said of Isihkawa’s blast in the 2014 NLCS, which sent the Giants to the World Series. “Obviously, I waited until everybody was done, but then I came in here, me and my cousin, that’s some of my best memories.”
Kilian, 28, is finally in the majors with the team that drafted him after putting up an 0.96 ERA this spring, and he said before Wednesday’s game, “It’s just kind of crazy. You can’t really imagine that happening until it happens, and you’re like, ‘Wow, that’s really cool!’ They pulled me back here and it’s cool to be back in the big leagues on Opening Day.”
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Keaton Winn earned the final bullpen spot to serve as the swingman. The full bullpen will include left-handers Ryan Borucki, Matt Gage and Erik Miller — not a bad plan with the Yankees in town — and right-handers JT Brubaker, José Buttó, Kilian, Ryan Walker and Winn.
The Giants opted not to send fifth starter Landen Roupp down for 10 days in order to add an extra position player. As expected the rotation is Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, Adrian Houser and Roupp.
The rest of the roster includes catchers Patrick Bailey and Susac, infielders Willy Adames, Luis Arráez, Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers, Christian Koss and Casey Schmitt and outfielders Harrison Bader, Jung Hoo Lee, Oliva and Heliot Ramos, and first baseman-DH Jerar Encarnacion.
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Non-roster reliever Michael Fulmer was reassigned to Triple-A Sacramento but after a solid spring, he will be among the top considerations when there is a need in the bullpen.
Left-hander Sam Hentges (shoulder, knee) and right-hander Joel Peguero (hamstring) were placed on the 15-day injured list, an indication both could be available within a month to six weeks, and left-hander Reiver Sanmartin (hip) went on the 60-day IL.