Giants' José Buttó Out for Season After Blood Clot Procedure

San Francisco Giants reliever José Buttó will miss the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing a procedure to remove a blood clot from his throwing arm. The Giants announced Thursday that Buttó's recovery timeline has been extended to 5-6 months following the procedure, effectively ending his season.

Buttó was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 2 after experiencing arm fatigue. The initial diagnosis was vague, but on April 3 the Giants revealed he had a blood clot in his throwing arm and was undergoing a procedure to remove it. The team updated the timeline on April 4 to 2-4 months, but it was revised again after the surgery.

Sources indicate Buttó may have pitched through the issue before the clot was diagnosed. Manager Tony Vitello told Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle that there are a few possible procedures the right-hander might undergo, though the exact cause of the clot has not been confirmed.

Buttó was acquired by the Giants from the New York Mets in a trade for Tyler Rogers last summer. Along with Buttó, the Giants also received Blade Tidwell in the deal. Tidwell was recalled to the bullpen on April 2 to replace Buttó. Buttó posted a 4.50 ERA in 20 innings for San Francisco last season and started the 2026 season by allowing five runs on six hits and four walks over two innings.

Blood clots in pitchers are often associated with thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that also affected Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler. The Giants have not confirmed whether this is a concern for Buttó, but the extended recovery timeline suggests the issue is more complex than initially thought.

With Buttó out for the remainder of the season, the Giants will need to rely on Tidwell and other relievers to fill the gap in their bullpen. The team has a 20-12 record entering April 5 and is currently in second place in the NL West, 3.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Buttó's injury adds to a growing list of challenges for the Giants in the early part of the season. The team will monitor his progress closely over the coming months as they hope for a full recovery. The next step for San Francisco is a home series against the Colorado Rockies beginning on Friday night.