Giants trade Luis Matos to Brewers; DFA Tyler Fitzgerald, acquire Dylan Smith
Giants trade Luis Matos to Brewers; DFA Tyler Fitzgerald, acquire Dylan Smith originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants officially cut ties with former top prospect Luis Matos on Monday, while also moving towards ending utility player Tyler Fitzgerald ’s tenure with the franchise.
San Francisco traded Matos to the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations, the team announced. The move comes nearly a week after the outfielder was designated for assignment when he didn’t make the Opening Day roster.
Fitzgerald also didn’t make the Opening Day roster and was sent to Triple-A Sacramento.
But the Giants pulled off another small trade Monday, acquiring 25-year-old relief pitcher Dylan Smith from the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations.
So, to create a 40-man roster spot for Smith, Fitzgerald was designated for assignment.
Smith won’t join the Giants immediately, as he will first head to Sacramento.
A few years ago, Matos and Fitzgerald were considered promising pieces of the Giants’ future. But Matos’ time officially is over and Fitzgerald might be on the way out if another team claims him.
Matos peaked as the Giants’ No. 3 overall prospect in 2022 and made his MLB debut in 2023. But he appeared in just 178 games over the last three seasons. During his time in San Francisco, the 24-year-old slashed .231/.281/.369 with 15 homers and 61 RBI.
Fitzgerald wasn’t as heralded as Matos, but he arguably made a bigger mark at the MLB level. The 28-year-old had a breakout 2024 season in San Francisco, when he hit 15 home runs and stole 17 bases. But he couldn’t regain that form last season.
In parts of three seasons with the Giants, Fitzgerald slashed .252/.309/.430 with 21 homers and 53 RBI.
Smith comes to the Giants organization after a successful 2025 season in the minor leagues and with the Tigers.
The 25-year-old right-hander got his first cup of coffee with Detroit last June and allowed just two earned runs in 13 innings. Across four minor-league levels, he recorded a 2.27 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings.
The Giants began the 2026 season flush with infield and outfield options but lacking in the bullpen. On Monday, they took steps to address a weakness, and that came at the cost of two once-promising prospects.
