Matt Gage’s First MLB Win Was a Full-Circle Giants Moment for Reliever

His first Major League win was a long-time coming for Matt Gage, who won that game 12 years after the San Francisco Giants drafted him.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Gage. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Pitchers have milestone moments. One of the big ones is that first Major League win.

For San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Gage, his first Major League win was a long time coming. It was 12 years coming.

Gage claimed the win in relief in San Francisco’s victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday. He only recorded two outs, but it was enough to get the win. For the 33-year-old, it was a full circle moment. After all, he started his career with the San Francisco Giants.

Matt Gage Wins His First Game

San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Gage. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Since Gage returned to the organization last year, he’s been a blessing to the bullpen. In six games this season he hasn’t allowed a run in 6.1 innings. He’s struck out five and walked three and has been the Giants’ most effective left-handed reliever.

Last season when he joined the Giants he appeared in 27 games out of the bullpen, as he went 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA. He struck out 24 and walked 10 in 25.1 innings. While batters his .283 against him, he had two holds.

Gage spent more than four seasons in the Giants’ organization but never made it to the Majors before he was released in July of 2018. And his long path back to San Francisco began.

He landed with the New York Mets after his release but became a free agent that November. No MLB team wanted him, so he landed with Diablos Rojos del México in the Mexican League in 2019. When COVID-19 limited the Majors to 60 games and shut down minor league baseball in 2020 he remained in Mexico and played for Eastern Reyes del Tigre of the Constellation Energy League.

He finally landed with an MLB organization in 2021 with Arizona, but he didn’t reach the Majors. While he was in winter ball in Mexico, he signed with Toronto for the 2022 season and finally got the call to pitch his first Major League inning on June 6, 2022. But he wasn’t done moving around.

Houston took him in for the 2023 season and he pitched in five games. In 2024 he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, didn’t get to the Majors and was traded to the Mets, who also didn’t call him up. He signed with Detroit for the 2025 season, pitched in six games and designated for assignment in June. After he cleared waivers and declared free agency, he signed a minor league deal with San Francisco.

He hasn’t left since then.