SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants knew they would likely get the news Monday that they were losing their starting third baseman for the rest of the 2026 MLB season, but they did not also anticipate losing their primary catcher. A day after fouling a ball off his knee, Daniel Susac was diagnosed with a left patella fracture. The latest injury led to a scramble for the organization, which already has used six catchers this season and now has two young catchers dealing with serious injuries.
The plan was to lean on Susac, Drew Cavanaugh and Jesus Rodriguez down the stretch, but Rodriguez is on the IL with elbow neuritis and is not close to returning. With Susac out, Cavanaugh will be the starter the rest of the way, a stunning development for a 24-year-old who started the season in Double-A without much of a realistic path to the big leagues.
The Giants shook it up early, though, trading Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians to open opportunities for Susac, and the Rule 5 Draft selection took full advantage. If this is it for Susac in 2026, he’ll finish with a .664 OPS and three homers. More importantly, he ranks sixth among big league catchers in...