SF Giants finalize Opening Day roster — with surprise decision

SAN FRANCISCO — Jared Oliva is 30 years old and hasn’t played in a big-league game since 2021, but that’s set to change after the Giants included the speedy outfielder on their Opening Day roster.

Buster Posey and the Giants opted for Oliva over 24-year-old outfield prospect Luis Matos, who was designated for assignment Wednesday ahead of San Francisco’s season opener against the Yankees.

Oliva, who led the Cactus League with 14 stolen bases, will serve as a pinch runner and the second backup outfielder alongside Jerar Encarnacion.

The Giants chose to go with Oliva, a career .179 hitter, and Encarnacion, a slugger signed out of the Mexican League in 2024, over Matos, a onetime top prospect who was out of options.

There weren’t too many other surprises — or decisions left to be made — as the Giants finalized their Opening Day roster.

Rule 5 pick Daniel Susac won the backup catcher job over Eric Haase after putting together a strong spring at the plate. The Giants would have to offer him back to the Athletics if he wasn’t on the 26-man roster. Blake Sabol, in 2022, was the last Rule 5 pick to make the Giants’ roster out of spring training.

The Giants had indicated that they intended to carry three left-handers in their bullpen and made good on those intentions with the trio of Ryan Borucki, Matt Gage and Erik Miller.

Borucki, who worked with pitching coach Justin Meccage with the Pirates, was signed to a major-league deal this week after being cut by the White Sox. Joey Lucchesi, who was also brought into camp late, was granted his release and signed a major-league deal with the Angels.

Despite two days off over the first five days of the season, the Giants went with a 13-man pitching staff rather than using the favorable schedule to carry Matos or another position player into the season.

Ryan Walker and Miller are expected to split closing duties in a bullpen that also includes long men JT Brubaker and Keaton Winn, with Jose Butto, Caleb Kilian and Gage providing middle relief.

Kilian, a former Giants prospect, made the team as a non-roster invitee after flashing a heater in the upper 90s and posting a 0.96 ERA in eight spring appearances.

Fellow reliever Reiver Sanmartin, who suffered a hip flexor strain in a World Baseball Classic exhibition, was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create room on the 40-man roster.

Left-hander Sam Hentges (right knee surgery/left shoulder surgery) and right-hander Joel Peguero (left hamstring strain) will start the year on the 15-day IL.

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