San Francisco Giants Make Two Shocking Roster Decisions

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Luis Matos reacts after he hit a single that scored two runs against the Orioles on August 29, 2025.

On Monday September 15, 2025, the San Francisco Giants sent Luis Matos down to AAA Sacramento and designated infielder Brett Wisely for assignment.

These two moves were made to clear both a space on the 28-man active roster and the 40-man roster for Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who was called up and is making his MLB debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday September 15, 2025.

The Giants are hoping Eldridge can be the spark they need to earn the third and final wild card berth into the National League playoffs.

And evidently, they don’t believe Matos or Wisely would contribute to the playoff push.

What is Behind Matos’s Demotion?

Luis Matos’s demotion would have been shocking to see even two weeks ago.

When Matos was recalled from AAA Sacramento on August 21, 2025, he arrived with a renewed sense of confidence and patience at the plate.

That shows up in the stat sheet. Since the Giants recalled him, Matos has hit .328 with 3 home runs, 9 RBI and 13 runs scored.

Many Giants fans figured Matos, especially with his ability to hit left-handed pitching, would form a platoon with the left-handed hitting Drew Gilbert in right field for the foreseeable future.

But instead, the Giants have elected to keep Jerar Encarnacion, who has yet to get a real chance this season due to several injuries, Grant McCray, who is an elite defender with an elite arm, and Gilbert on the roster to handle right field.

Only Gilbert has a better batting average than Matos in that group this season. Encarnacion is hitting .171 and McCray is hitting .100.

But Matos, despite his speed and athleticism, is a defensive liability in the outfield. That, combined with recording only 1 hit in his last 5 games, was probably the final nail in the coffin for Matos.

Whatever it was, the Giants believe in McCray, Encarnacion and Gilbert all more than Matos.

Now out of options, it’s possible that Luis Matos has played his final game with the Giants.

What’s Next For Brett Wisely?

Christian Koss has essentially filled Brett Wisley’s role from last season, and with a better performance than Wisely. With Koss and Casey Schmitt handling second base, there was just no room for Wisely on the active roster this season.

The Giants originally acquired Wisely in a minor league trade with the Tampa Bay Rays back in 2022. He will likely receive attention from teams on the waiver wire.

In 91 games in 2024, Wisley hit .238 with 4 home runs and 31 RBI. That’s a fairly decent, average statline for a second baseman. But Wisely is not just a second baseman; he has also played center field, left field, shortstop, third base, first base, DH and even pitcher during his big league career.

Don’t be fooled, Wisely is not the next Shohei Ohtani, but he brings a solid glove to any position on the field.

Basically, he’s the perfect player for a Farhan Zaidi system. The Giants moved on from Farhan, so he became expendable. But other teams looking for a solid big league hitter who can play any position will definitely give Wisely a shot.

And just because Wisely had his best moments during the Farhan era doesn’t mean Giants fans will forget him. He had plenty of memorable moments in San Francisco, including an epic walk-off home run against the Dodgers in 2024.

Giants fans, what do you think of these roster moves? Will Matos or Wisely ever play another game for the Giants?

Ethan Inman is a sports journalist covering the San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants and Las Vegas Raiders for heavy.com. He also co-hosts a college football podcast for The Voice of College Football, and writes about the NBA and MLB. He has previously covered the USC Trojans, the NHL, college baseball, and the intersection of sports and popular culture for other publications. He is based in the greater Los Angeles area. More about Ethan Inman