San Francisco Giants Sign Veteran Catcher to Start Against Seattle Mariners

The San Francisco Giants signed a veteran to help them through at least the next week without their starter, Patrick Bailey.

Sep 2, 2022; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Andrew Knapp (33) takes the field in his team debut in the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park. / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants signed Andrew Knapp to a Major League deal on Friday, per the team, in an effort to help them get through starter Patick Bailey’s stint on the injured list.

To make room, the Giants designated catcher Jakson Reetz for assignment. Knapp is expected to start on Friday.

San Francisco called up Reetz three days ago after the Giants placed Bailey on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain. The idea was to pair Reetz with Curt Casali as a tandem until Bailey was ready to return.

He did not play after he was called up.

Knapp, 32, is making a return to San Francisco. He last played for the franchise in 2022, when he appeared in three games. That season he played for three different teams as he also played a handful with the Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates.

After the Giants designated him for assignment in September in 2022, he signed with the Detroit Tigers late that year on a minor-league deal. He played with Triple-A Toledo until August when he was released.

Knapp signed with the Houston Astros on a minor-league deal for the rest of that season, and after hitting free agency, he signed with the Texas Rangers on a minor-league deal. But he didn’t make the Opening Day roster coming out of spring training this March. He spent most of the year with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Round Rock before he was released on Thursday.

With the Express he batted .294/.383/.457/.840 with nine home runs and 44 RBI.

The switch-hitting catcher has 325 Major League games under his belt and has a slash line of .209/.310/.313/.623 with 13 home runs and 66 RBI.

He broke into the Majors with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2017 and spent his first five MLB seasons with the team, catching a career-high 84 games in 2018. The Phillies selected Knapp in the second round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Cal.

The Giants are hopeful that Bailey will only need 10 days on the injured list. This is his third time on the IL this year, with the other two stints being on the 7-day concussion list.

Bailey’s year at the plate is nearly identical to that of his first season in the Majors in 2023. In 96 games he’s batted .233/.299/.344/.643 with seven home runs and 38 RBI.

Bailey has a 30.4 percent caught stealing rate, and he leads all catchers in defensive runs saved this year.