The San Francisco Giants closed out a three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday with a dramatic late rally, scoring six runs in the eighth inning after trailing 6-1 and holding on for the victory.
The win came without Rafael Devers in the lineup, as manager Tony Vitello gave the slugger a rare rest after he had played every regular-season game. Rookie Bryce Eldridge stepped in and delivered two hits and three RBIs.
Yet the most notable roster news arrived after the final out.
The Giants designated 32-year-old right-hander Spencer Bivens for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot, via insider Alex Pavlovic. They immediately claimed right-hander Duncan Davitt off waivers from the Atlanta Braves and optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento.
The move was a reminder of how quickly opportunity can vanish in a long season, especially for a pitcher who had once looked like a useful piece of the Giants’ bullpen.
Bivens reached the majors the hard way. After seven years in the minor leagues, he debuted with San Francisco in 2024 and immediately showed he belonged.
In 27 appearances that year, he went 3-1 with a 3.14 ERA, giving the club a reliable arm out of the pen. The following spring he earned a spot on the Opening Day roster and appeared in 54 games, finishing 4-3 with a 4.00 ERA.
Those two seasons established him as a trusted middle-relief option who could eat innings and keep games close.
This year proved far more difficult. Bivens opened the season at Triple-A Sacramento and did not return to the big-league roster until late August. Once he arrived, the results were poor.
In four appearances totaling five innings, he allowed 11 hits and eight runs, posting a 14.40 ERA. The Giants decided they needed the roster flexibility more than they needed to keep waiting for a rebound.
The club itself is playing out the string. San Francisco sits at 62-85 and has already been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, though the team has won four of its last five games and six of its last ten. After a Thursday off day, the Giants will host the San Diego Padres for a weekend series.
For Bivens the designation ends a chapter that began with genuine promise. A late bloomer who finally broke through at 30, he gave the Giants two solid seasons of relief work before the numbers collapsed in a short 2026 stint.
Whether another organization offers him a chance to reset will be the next question. For now the Giants have chosen to look elsewhere as they finish a disappointing year.
