The Giants signed catcher Andrew Knapp to a serious league contract. Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic first noticed (on X) that the switch-hitting backstop was in tonight’s beginning lineup. San Francisco designated Jakson Reetz for project to create a 40-man opening. Knapp, an Apex Baseball consumer, reaches the majors for the primary time this season.
Knapp had been in Triple-A with the Rangers. He signed an offseason minor league deal, opted out initially of July, then returned to Texas on a brand new non-roster pact across the All-Star Break. The Rangers granted him his launch yesterday, presumably in tandem together with his settlement with San Francisco. He didn’t get a glance in Texas regardless of a powerful .294/.383/.457 slash in 345 Triple-A plate appearances.
Whereas the Rangers haven’t gotten a lot manufacturing out of the catching place, Jonah Heim was an All-Star final season. Texas moved on from struggling backup Andrew Knizner once they acquired Carson Kelly on the deadline. Barring harm, Knapp most likely wasn’t going to get a glance there. The Giants had extra room for a short-term choice after shedding Patrick Bailey to the injured checklist this week. Bailey is battling what appears to be a low-severity indirect pressure.
Knapp, 32, performed in three video games for the Giants two seasons in the past. That marked his most up-to-date MLB motion. He has spent the previous couple seasons bouncing across the Triple-A stage. A Berkeley product and former second-round decide by the Phillies, Knapp is a profession .209/.310/.313 hitter in 873 huge league plate appearances. He’ll again up Curt Casali in the meanwhile.
It’s doable his keep on the roster will probably be transient. Bailey may return proper round when he’s first eligible on August 29. That’d give San Francisco three catchers and presumably drive them to decide on between retaining Casali or Knapp because the backup.
Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier within the week that the Giants had some curiosity in former All-Star Elias Díaz, whom the Rockies launched per week in the past. Bailey’s presumed forthcoming return apparently took that off the desk. Slusser wrote this afternoon that Díaz declined to pursue the chance when the Giants indicated they couldn’t decide to maintaining him on the roster past Bailey’s return date.
That’s comprehensible on Díaz’s half. The Rockies are on the hook for his $6MM wage whereas he’s a free agent. He’d must be in a company by September 1 to be eligible for postseason play. If he signed with the Giants for per week and was launched because the corresponding transfer for a Bailey reinstatement on August 29, he’d have little or no time to seek out one other touchdown spot that might enable him to play in October. A brief-term stint is way more interesting for Knapp, who had been on a minor league wage with Texas and has ties to the Bay Space.
San Francisco designates Reetz for the second time this season. He has appeared in six MLB video games for them this yr and performed in two video games with the 2021 Nationals. The previous third-round decide has hit .254/.368/.431 over 58 video games with Triple-A Sacramento. He’ll go on waivers within the subsequent few days and would be capable to elect free company if he goes unclaimed.
