On Thursday August 21, 2025, the San Francisco Giants announced a flurry of roster moves, which included the call-up of relief pitching prospect Joel Peguero.
Peguero, 28, signed a minor league deal with the Giants this past offseason. He has a 5.10 ERA in 35 games (0 starts) with the AAA Sacramento River Cats this season.
Peguero won the prestigious 2025 Barney Nugent Award during Spring Training with the Giants. The Nugent Award is given to the player who is the most impressive in his first Big League camp with the Giants.
Peguero earned the honor after turning heads with his fastball, which topped out at 102 MPH during the spring. He also didn’t allow a single run all spring in 9 appearances.
Peguero has also had a solid couple of months in AAA, allowing only 3 earned runs in July and 3 earned runs in August.
The timing of his recall suggests that the Giants want to debut him immediately in a relief role on Thursday August 21, 2025 against the San Diego Padres. So Giants fans should keep an eye out for that.
Since June 28th: 22.0 IP 2.45 ERA 10.64 K/9 26 K/8 BB 1 HR Given Up
Erik Miller Transferred to 60-Day IL
The news of Peguero’s recall was unfortunately accompanied by bad news for another Giants pitcher. Erik Miller was transferred to the 60-Day IL to make room for Peguero on the roster.
That move effectively ends Miller’s season. Miller had established himself as an elite arm out of the Giants’ bullpen with a 1.50 ERA in 36 games this season. But a left elbow injury has unfortunately cost him months of the 2025 season.
Miller is technically eligible for reinstatement in early September, but the Giants will likely err on the side of caution with him. With so little time left in the season, fans can assume his season is over.
Kai-Wei Teng Optioned
In their series of roster moves, the Giants also optioned Kai-Wei Teng to AAA Sacramento. Teng struggled in his last two starts, and needs to develop more before he can be considered an MLB caliber starting pitcher.
Teng’s demotion leaves the Giants with only three starting pitchers on the active roster: Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander.
Carson Whisenhunt Will Return
With Teng gone, Landen Roupp injured and promising pitching prospect Blade Tidwell also sidelined, the Giants have one clear option to fill in the starting rotation: LHP Carson Whisenhunt.
According to Giants insiders, Whisenhunt has a locker in San Diego. He is set to start Friday’s series opening game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The roster spot will open when Roupp hits the IL.
Even after the Giants recall Whisenhunt, that leaves them with only 4 starting pitchers. Unless they want to throw a bullpen game (terrible idea for so many reasons), they need to make yet another move to bring up a pitcher, or move Carson Seymour from the bullpen to the rotation.
If they call another SP up, the most likely candidate to be demoted to AAA is Tyler Fitzgerald.
Outfielder Swap
Finally, the Giants also recalled OF Luis Matos and sent OF Grant McCray back to AAA Sacramento.
McCray has hit only .100 since the Giants recalled him on August 1, 2025. Matos, on the other hand, has hit .260 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI since he was demoted to AAA Sacramento. So the Giants are going with the hot hand.
Luis Matos hits a 3 run HR in the top of the 7th to extend the River Cats lead ‼️
So many moves with so many implications. And the Giants are far from done.
What do you think of all these moves, Giants fans? Are you excited to see Joel Peguero debut?
San Francisco Giants Set To Debut 100 MPH+ Pitcher After Flurry Of Roster Moves