As the Cincinnati Reds continue fine-tuning their roster ahead of key offseason deadlines and potential 2026 acquisitions, left-hander Reiver Sanmartin is officially on the move.
The San Francisco Giants claimed the 29-year-old off waivers Thursday afternoon, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Sanmartin first joined the Reds as part of the Sonny Gray trade with the New York Yankees prior to the 2019 season—a deal that sent Shed Long Jr. the other way. He debuted in 2021, showing promise with 11.2 strong innings across two starts before shifting to the bullpen following uneven results. After missing more than a year recovering from Tommy John surgery, he returned to the majors this past September, tossing 1.2 innings in his lone appearance of 2025.
Sanmartin’s departure follows a series of recent roster cleanups that also saw Santiago Espinal and Ian Gibaut placed on waivers—though both cleared and elected free agency. Unlike them, Sanmartin remains a low-cost option, not yet arbitration-eligible, which likely made him an appealing claim for the Giants.
The Reds’ busy day didn’t stop there. They reinstated Carson Spiers, Rhett Lowder, Brandon Williamson, Tyler Callihan, and Julian Aguiar from the 60-day IL, freeing up much-needed 40-man roster space. The team also promoted RHP Jose Franco to the 40-man roster, outrighted Sam Benschoter to Triple-A Louisville, and claimed RHP Roddery Muñoz off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Muñoz, 25, originally signed with the Atlanta Braves in 2018 and has since bounced around through several organizations, including Washington and Pittsburgh. He owns a 6.73 career ERA across 93.1 MLB innings and is out of minor league options, though his strikeout potential could entice Cincinnati to keep him as depth—if he clears waivers again.
As for Franco, the 24-year-old righty likely would’ve been added to the roster regardless to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. After dominating at Double-A and Triple-A with a 3.11 ERA and 118 strikeouts in 110 innings, he’s poised to compete for his first major league opportunity in 2026.
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