The Kansas City Royals claimed right-handed pitcher Spencer Bivens off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Saturday and immediately optioned him to Triple-A Omaha, via the MLB transaction log.
The move ends Bivens’ five-year run in the Giants organization and gives Kansas City another experienced arm for its pitching depth as the regular season winds down.
San Francisco designated the 32-year-old for assignment earlier in the week after claiming right-hander Duncan Davitt off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.
Bivens had spent his entire professional career with the Giants after signing out of independent ball in 2022. He made his major-league debut in 2024 and appeared in parts of three seasons with San Francisco.
Bivens took a long road to the majors. After two seasons at Division II Rogers State, he spent time in independent leagues in 2020 and 2021 before the Giants signed him.
He moved quickly through the system. A strong 2024 showing at Triple-A Sacramento—including a 2.92 ERA and eight saves—earned him his first big-league call-up on June 16, 2024. In his debut he pitched three innings and earned the win.
His most substantial major-league work came in 2025, when he appeared in a career-high 54 games. Bivens typically worked as a multi-inning reliever, finishing that season 4-3 with a 4.00 ERA, three saves, and four holds over 81 innings. He posted a 3.14 ERA across 27 appearances (including two starts) in 2024. Career totals stand at 7-4 with a 4.08 ERA, 106 strikeouts, and 134 2/3 innings in 85 games.
This season was far quieter. Bivens made just four major-league appearances totaling five innings and allowed eight earned runs.
He spent most of 2026 with Sacramento before the Giants recalled him briefly in late August. The right-hander relies on a sinker used about 40 percent of the time and mixes in a four-seamer, cutter, changeup, and two breaking balls.
For the Royals, the claim is a low-risk addition of a pitcher with big-league innings and organizational familiarity. Kansas City sent him to Omaha rather than adding him to the active roster immediately, suggesting they view him as depth who can be called up if bullpen needs arise.
Bivens, born June 28, 1994, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, is 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds. He remains pre-arbitration eligible.
The transaction is typical late-season roster shuffling. Teams often claim players who can eat innings or provide a different look in the bullpen.
Whether Bivens surfaces in Kansas City before the end of the year will depend on injuries and performance at Triple-A. For now, he has a new organization and another chance to contribute after a late start to his major-league career.
