The San Francisco Giants designated left-handed reliever Reiver Sanmartin for assignment this week, trimming their 40-man roster back to the limit after a busy day of offseason moves.
The 30-year-old Colombian’s brief tenure with the club ended quietly, a fitting close to a season shaped more by injuries and limited opportunity than by any standout stretch on the mound.
Sanmartin arrived in San Francisco via waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in November 2025.
Born in Cartagena, he signed with the Texas Rangers as an undrafted free agent in 2015 and later landed in the Reds organization through a multi-team deal involving Sonny Gray.
His major-league debut came in late September 2021, when he made two starts for Cincinnati and posted a 1.54 ERA. The following year he worked primarily in relief across 45 appearances, going 4-4 with a 6.32 ERA over 57 innings.
Elbow trouble interrupted his 2023 campaign; after a stress reaction in his left elbow, he underwent season-ending UCL surgery in July.
He spent most of the next two seasons rebuilding in the minors, showing improved results at Triple-A Louisville in 2025 before a brief, scoreless return to the Reds.
With the Giants, Sanmartin’s 2026 season was fragmented. A right hip-flexor strain placed him on the 60-day injured list in late March, delaying his debut until mid-June.
Once active, he shuttled between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento, appearing in 24 games without a start. He finished 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA, a 1.36 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 21⅓ innings.
A right oblique strain landed him back on the injured list in mid-September and effectively ended his year.
Out of options and with the Giants needing to clear space after reinstating several players from the 60-day injured list, Sanmartin became the final cut.
Across his major-league tenure, Sanmartin has a 10-4 record and a 5.37 ERA in 105⅔ innings.
He has never established a consistent high-leverage role, instead serving as a depth lefty whose best stretches have come in the minors.
Designation for assignment does not necessarily end his association with the Giants; he could clear waivers and accept a minor-league assignment, or another club could claim him.
Either path continues a career defined by resilience through injuries and organizational transitions rather than by prolonged success at the highest level.
