The San Francisco Giants made a series of roster moves on Sunday, sending struggling reliever Ryan Walker to Triple-A Sacramento after a tough stretch that saw him allow at least one run in four consecutive outings. Walker, who began the season as the team's primary closer following a standout 2025 campaign with 17 saves, has seen his effectiveness dwindle in recent weeks.

In his last four appearances, Walker surrendered seven runs and nine hits with four walks over just 3 1/3 innings, including two blown saves. The final blow came Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he allowed two runs while recording only two outs in a 13-3 loss, ballooning his season ERA to 6.46 and prompting the demotion.

The Giants didn't stop there. Right-hander Gregory Santos was also optioned to Sacramento after allowing two runs in 1 1/3 innings on Saturday. To bolster the bullpen, the team activated left-handed reliever Sam Hentges from his rehabilitation assignment and called up righty Dylan Smith from Triple-A.

Hentges, signed as a free agent in the offseason, missed the start of the season due to injury. He posted a stellar 1.93 ERA over 10 rehab outings in the minors. The lefty last pitched in the majors with Cleveland in 2024 and carries a career 4.18 ERA over four big-league seasons. Smith, acquired from Detroit in March, has impressed with a 2.13 ERA in nine appearances for Sacramento this year.

The roster shakeup comes as the Giants (15-24) entered Sunday tied for the worst record in the National League. The team has been aggressive in trying to turn things around, calling up top prospect Bryce Eldridge earlier in the week and trading catcher Patrick Bailey to Cleveland on Saturday. For a team looking to find its footing, these moves signal a renewed focus on fresh arms and a potential reset in the bullpen.