Giants' Chapman to undergo season-ending surgery, Susac diagnosed with knee fracture

Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News on Aug 10, 2026

Published in Baseball

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SAN FRANCISCO — The injury bug continues to hit the Giants with a vengeance.

San Francisco announced on Monday that third baseman Matt Chapman, as expected, will undergo season-ending surgery to address a hernia and tear in the right side of his abdomen. Additionally, an MRI rookie catcher Daniel Susac underwent after fouling a pitch off his left knee on Sunday has revealed a left knee patella fracture, which could potentially end his season.

The Giants selected catcher Zach Morgan from Triple-A Sacramento to take Susac’s spot on the roster. Morgan, 26, attended Fresno State. The Giants selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB draft.

Morgan was the backup to Drew Cavanaugh on Monday night in the Giants’ series opener against the Houston Astros, but the team could seek a veteran option going forward. Rookie catcher Jesús Rodríguez was not available to replace Susac on the active roster because he is recovering from right elbow neuritis.

“More than likely, something to cover us tonight, then something else going forward,” Vitello said before Morgan was added to the roster.

Chapman, who hasn’t played since June 30, was in Philadelphia on Monday to visit Dr. William Meyers, who confirmed a core muscle injury.

The 33-year-old Chapman hoped to come off the injured list during the Giants’ recent series against the San Diego Padres, but the team halted his progression due to lingering discomfort while running. He had dealt with abdominal discomfort for much of the season before landing on the injured list.

“It sucks because probably season’s over,” Chapman said Friday. “I think I’m just disappointed right now for the most part. But I knew something wasn’t right. I knew that this had been bothering me for a while, and for some reason it just wasn’t getting better, and now I know why.”

Chapman ends his third season in San Francisco with a .235 batting average, seven home runs, 42 RBIs and a .692 OPS over 84 games. Defensively, Chapman was worth +16 defensive runs saved and +4 outs above average, a range-based stat. He has four years remaining on his six-year, $151 million extension.

While Chapman had been trending toward missing the remainder of the season, Susac sustained his injury in the bottom of the fifth inning on Sunday afternoon when he fouled a pitch right off his left knee.

Susac went down in pain but remained in the game. He was then lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh. Susac underwent an X-ray on Sunday that only revealed a contusion, but the MRI revealed the fracture. Vitello said the Giants are still trying to determine Susac’s prognosis, but noted that Susac needed to be carted in.

If Susac’s season is over, the rookie was impressive in his first taste of big-league action. Over 53 games, Susac had a Fielding Run Value of +8, tied for the fifth-most among all catchers. Former Giant Patrick Bailey, for comparison, has only been worth +4 despite catching 265 more innings.

“He had a chip on his shoulder,” Vitello said of Susac, who joined the Giants as a Rule 5 draft pick when the Athletics left him off their 40-man roster. “I don’t think anyone directly told him, ‘You’re not good enough,’ but that was kind of the air about him. He did what you should do: He used it to his advantage. It just made him more determined. I think what he did was incredibly impressive, and it really started right out of the shoot in spring training.”

On a more positive note, right-hander José Buttó and left-hander Matt Gage threw their first bullpens since sustaining their respective injuries. Buttó hasn’t pitched since April after undergoing surgery to remove a blood clot in his right arm, while Gage has been out since early July due to a left elbow sprain.

“He looks strong, he looks sturdy, and the way his arm was working was really good down in the bullpen,” Vitello said of Buttó. “His temperament is always pretty even-keeled, but I do think he was pretty fired up. So, based on how he threw, I wouldn’t rule [a return] out. But, one step at a time thing.”

Gage’s bullpen session was especially encouraging because of his demeanor at the time of his injury.

When the Giants placed him on the injured list, Gage told reporters, “If it is, it is. I did what I could do and I felt it all out there. I gave it all for Tony and the guys. I’m okay with that.”

On Monday, Gage was optimistic that he could return to the majors this season.

“I’m jumping ahead and speaking for him, but he did make a comment about being pain-free,” Vitello said. “Maybe scattered a couple, but otherwise, he was pretty good.”

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