The San Francisco Giants made an interesting roster move near the non-tender deadline when they cut ties with left-handed reliever Joey Lucchesi to open a 40-man roster slot. The decision sends Lucchesi into free agency, and the timing and cost quickly raised brows around the league.
Lucchesi earned trust this year. He logged quality innings in a tight role. He got grounders, kept the ball in the park, and handled traffic. The club still chose flexibility. The 40-man roster churn is real in this front office, and the Giants are signaling bigger plans. Lucchesi finished the 2025 season with a 0-1 record, a 3.76 ERA, and 31 strikeouts across 38 appearances in the 2025 season.
Fans saw the metrics and asked why. The non-tender deadline often forces harsh choices. A modest salary can still lose to a roster need. A prospect shield or a pending signing can push a veteran out. Health history and swing-and-miss rates can factor too. San Francisco weighed all of it.
New York Post Sports’ Jon Heyman took to his X (formerly known as Twitter) account, and shared that the club would not be offering the southpaw a contract for the 2026 season.
“Giants have non-tendered LHP Joey Lucchesi. 3.52 xERA, 54% groundball rate and held lefties to .219 average and .598 OPS.”
Those marks back the eye test. The ground-ball rate fits the club’s infield model. The split vs lefties plays in tight spots. The price was light for that profile. The Giants still chose the path of options and space.
There is a second layer here. San Francisco may try to bring him back on a minor-league pact. That would save the 40-man roster spot while keeping a familiar arm. It is a gamble on a slow market. The next move will tell the story.
Until then, the Giants gain roster space but face plenty of questions. The 32-year-old, wrapping up his seventh MLB season, enters the market with real value as a steady lefty who gets outs. Both sides will now see how the market plays out.
