San Francisco Giants DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

According to ABC Philadelphia, 33-year-old catcher Andrew Knapp announced his retirement from professional baseball on his social media page. Knapp has played in seven MLB seasons after debuting in the 2017 season with the Philadelphia Phillies. Last summer, Knapp made just three appearances with the San Francisco Giants and tallied one hit with two strikeouts. He posted a career-best .278/.404/.444 slash line across 33 games in the 2020 shortened season. During that season, he hit four doubles and two home runs and held a 15:19 BB:K ratio. Knapp spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies. Across 359 career games at the Triple-A level, the backstop held a .258/.342/.414 slash line with 333 total hits.

According to Jon Morosi of the MLB Network, left-handed pitcher Tyler Matzek (elbow) will throw for scouts on Thursday in Irvine, California. Matzek logged only ten innings of work last season before suffering a season-ending elbow injury. While the southpaw has struggled over the past few seasons, he was a dominant part of the Atlanta bullpen during the 2020 and 2021 seasons. During these two years, Matzek held a 2.64 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP across 92 innings. During Atlanta's 2021 World Series run, Matzek was a key part of the "nightshift" bullpen during the playoffs. Across 15 2/3 innings, Matzek posted a stellar 1.72 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and a 4:24 BB:K ratio during the postseason. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status before spring training, as he may earn a contract if he is past this elbow injury.

According to Aram Leighton of Just BB Media, the Atlanta Braves have signed catcher Curt Casali to a minor-league contract. Casali appeared in 41 games with the San Francisco Giants last summer and held a .194/.293/.250 line with three doubles, one home run, and a 13:22 BB:K ratio. He also spent time with Triple-A Iowa and posted a strong .362/.489/.551 line with seven doubles, two home runs, and a 15:16 BB:K ratio. Across his 11-year major league career, the backstop has held a .218/.313/.369 line, Casali will compete for the No.2 catching job with Chadwick Tromp and prospect Drake Baldwin during spring training.

According to Justice De Los Santos of the Mercury News, the New York Mets have claimed right-handed pitcher Austin Warren off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. Over the past four seasons, Warren has logged 48 2/3 innings of work in the majors and held a 3.14 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He has struck out 38 batters and held a high 11.8% walk rate. However, he did well limiting hard contact at a strong 26.7% and generating ground balls at an elite 53.3% rate. Across 100 1/3 career frames at Triple-A, he has held a 4.70 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Fantasy managers should monitor his progress during spring training, as he will likely compete for a spot in the bullpen. However, given his limited track record in the majors, he will likely open the campaign at the Triple-A level.

The Boston Red Sox acquired catcher Blake Sabol from the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday in exchange for international bonus-pool space. In a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster for Sabol, the Red Sox designated right-hander Chase Shugart for assignment. Sabol was recently DFA'd by the Giants and will now head to the American League East, where he'll serve as catching depth for the BoSox behind Connor Wong and Carlos Narvaez. The 27-year-old former seventh-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 out of USC also has experience in the outfield but will likely start the 2025 season at Triple-A Worcester. He made his big-league debut in San Fran in 2023, hitting .235 (73-for-310) with 13 homers and 44 RBI in 110 games but only played in 11 games for the Gigantes this past season. Sabol will be off the fantasy radar in all redraft fantasy leagues.