The San Francisco Giants have placed left-handed relievers Tyler Matzek and Taylor Rogers as well as infielder Thairo Estrada on waivers.
Accordingly The athleteAll three are now available to any team willing to claim them and pay the prorated balance of their outstanding 2024 salaries. In addition, Rogers has one year left on his three-year contract, and is due $12 million for the 2025 season. Whoever claims the former Kentucky Wildcats pitcher will then assume responsibility for paying him for the remainder of this season and next. What will happen to Rogers’ $60,000 donation to the Giants Community Fund is currently unknown.
Accordingly @Ken_RosenthalThairo Estrada, Taylor Rogers and Tyler Matzek are on the waivers list; any one can claim them and pay the rest of their salary. That’s not unusual this time of year, but Estrada could be of interest to the prospects.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) 28 August 2024
SF Giants place Matzek, Rogers and Estrada on waivers
The Giants acquired Matzek from the Atlanta Braves last month when they traded Luke Jackson and Jorge Soler. He has yet to pitch at the major league level for the Giants, and his last appearance with the Braves was on May 4. He is currently on a rehab assignment with their Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento. Matzek’s current contract expires at the end of the season, but there is a $5.5 million team option for the 2025 season.
Defensively, Estrada is doing a solid job as the Giants’ second baseman this season. They named him their Opening Day starter. His skills at the plate could still be improved, which certainly explains why they placed him on waivers for good. That’s unfortunate for a player many considered part of the team’s long-term plans. The Giants have him under contract through the end of the 2024 season, and he is arbitration eligible in 2025. Any team claiming him would have to pay the remaining $850,000 for the year. Estrada is currently under team control through the 2026 season. With this development, it’s highly unlikely the Giants will offer him arbitration for next season.
Any team that wants a player to play for them in the postseason must have him in their organization by Aug. 31. This includes both the 40-man roster and the 60-day injured list. Of the trio, Rogers appears to be the player a team would most likely claim off waivers from the Giants. In addition to the $12 million for 2025, the claiming team would have to pay $2.15 million for the rest of the year. His pitching would be a great asset to any team looking for a late-inning reliever. He has appeared in over 50 games with a 2.45 ERA and has thrown 59 strikeouts in 51 1/3 innings pitched.
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