The Giants have placed right-hander Dominic Leone on release waivers, per Evan Webeck of the San Jose Mercury News.
Leone, 30, has had some good seasons and some not-so-good seasons in his career, spending time with Seattle, Arizona, Toronto, St. Louis and Cleveland, prior to signing a minor league deal with the Giants in December of 2020. Leone got called up to the big leagues in June of 2021 and was very strong the rest of the way. He registered a 1.51 ERA over 53 2/3 innings with a 22.8% strikeout rate, 10% walk rate and 47.5% ground ball rate.
Based on that strong campaign, the Giants retained Leone via arbitration, agreeing to a $2.25MM salary. Everything seemed to be going fine for a while, with Leone sitting on a 2.45 ERA in early July. However, he put up a 6.30 ERA since July 5, pushing his season-long mark to 4.01.
Leone was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday due to elbow inflammation, which perhaps explains his diminished results in recent weeks. With just over three weeks remaining in the season, he wasn’t likely to make a meaningful contribution down the stretch, even if he returned after a minimum stay on the IL. It seems the Giants will nudge him off the roster and give him a headstart on free agency, which he was bound for this winter anyway. By doing so, the club will clear a spot on their 40-man roster. Given Leone’s injury and salary, he’s sure to clear release waivers. At that point, he would be free to sign with any team, though he wouldn’t be able to pitch in the postseason, even if he is healthy. Teams can only brings players that were in their organization prior to September 1 onto their playoff rosters.
Bummer. He had some great moments last year and early this season. Good move. Best of luck to him
Makes plenty of sense. Get a roster spot open for some tryouts. The Giants got a ton of work to do this off-season and I don’t envy them.
Cheap move by Zaidi.
tstats, did you read the phrase “give him a head start on free agency”. He’ll do that while getting this season’s salary. So, as typical, people like you think everything Zaidi does is bad even when it’s actually well intended. Btw, the move clears a 40 man roster spot so an available player can be added–and not have an injured player take up a 40 man spot. And this player is done for the year anyway. Try reading the article again. And why tstats? To me tstats would indicate someone with statistical ability which would in turn indicate intelligence. Sorry for writing so much, I know reading can be difficult for you.
I did after I had posted this comment. Also that is the authors implication. Learn to think about time, I know it can be hard.
A cheap move because it saves the Giants…nothing?
Cheap? Do explain.
How long before he’s lights-out for the Dodgers?
Give it 3 weeks
You mean like Reyes Moronta?
Reyes Moronta was pretty good for dodgers except for the long ball. WHIP under 1.2, ERA at 4.18 and LA used up this years options covering for injuries. Friedman would take that deal again.
With players limited to 5 options a year, there’s value in having tons of depth bullpen pieces.
He’s pitched less than 24 innings. Good, and in Moronta’s case, mediocre stats don’t mean much if a guy’s not available. His injury history isn’t good. There’s no guarantee he’ll be available in 2023. And he was waived by LA and is now with AZ.
The Dodgers released Moronta already. You’re missing the point, the Dodgers got exactly what they expected out of Moronta.
He was signed to save the kids options for September and to bridge the gap until players like Treinen, Duffy, and May got healthy. Reyes probably knew there was a good chance he was only in LA until more pitchers got back.
N0, you’re the one missing the point. There was nothing special about Moronta in his role for LA. Any journeyman reliever could have accomplished the same thing.
I responded to the suggestion that LA could make Leone a “lights out” reliever. The point I was making was the Dodgers did not do that with Moronta, and it’s doubtful they will with Leone.
You mean like they turned Tyler Anderson, Chris Taylor, Max Muncy, etc into all stars?
Yeah it’s so unlikely the dodgers would do something that we know they’ve done often.
Please. Now you’re resorting to strawmen? Nobody said anything about any of those guys. Plus, the implication that I don’t respect the Dodgers organization, and what they’ve done, is completely off the mark.
I’ll explain again, so maybe you’ll get it this time. A post suggested LA could turn Leone into a “lights out” reliever. I saw a comparison to Moronta, who yes filled a role, but was never close to a “lights out” reliever.
My post was about those two guys, and those two alone. You misunderstood, and now you’re trying to turn the difference in opinion into a different debate about different guys.
Despite not being a Dodger fan, I have the utmost respect for them. Don’t try and turn this into something it isn’t to try and win the point. You misunderstood; I’ve done the same in the past. Get over it.
You’re missing the point that the original comment was made in a jokingly…
So what? My response “like Reyes Moronta” was not exactly serious. It was @MachineElves, getting all defensive about Moronta, that turned it into way more than I intended.
I’ll agree on Taylor, Muncy and Justin Turner, but next season Tyler Anderson will turn into Tyler Anderson, so let”s not get ahead of ourselves.
Damn tad2b13, you take this way too seriously and youre wrong about the dodgers. They turn guys like leone into great players all the time. Maybe it’s time you took a break from arguing on the internet
I know what you said and I never disagreed with you. I simply pointed out the Moronta wasn’t bad. You’re the one who freaked out and implied all this stuff I never said. Calm down and stop freaking out about baseball comments. You’re only upset that the giants are the laughingstock of the league and the dodgers treat them like red headed step children. Have fun watching the boys in blue play in October while you losers miss the playoffs
Jim Marrs:
Well, I think you’re wrong. And as evidence I offer the following:
“…the dodgers…turn guys like leone into great players all the time”.
I rest my case.
If you didn’t disagree with me why all this BS. You did respond to me not vice versa.
Please tell me what I claimed you said that you didn’t.
I didn’t freak out at all. I just pointed out the similarities between Moronta and Leone, which you took as some insult against the Dodgers.
But then this post degenerates into insults, and trash talk You’re ridiculous. There’s no point in exchanging anymore posts with you.
More like Yency Almonte and Evan Phillips
hallelujah!
hope Rogers is next.
I’d rather it be Littell before Rogers.
I think, by the end of the season, it will be both. Maybe Littell is salvageable, at least take a look next pring. But Tyler Rogers . . . please no more of that gimmick.
I’m alright with it, wasn’t meant to be. Hopefully the Giants can audition some more arms, Waites, Dabovich, Marte etc, all have an opportunity to impress
Cole Waites and Avila look good. I think Waites will end up a closer I seen him pit h in Richmond and he’s nasty af
The fact that they felt the need to clear out a 40-man roster right now move tells me the Giants already have a specific player in mind for a call-up in the next day or two. Following the recent trend of promoting potential minor league free agents I’m guessing it will be Wei-Chieh Huang. Huang is actually doing better as a starting pitcher.
I remember a couple of years ago Zaidi said he didn’t want to have “soft” roster spots, that he wanted every roster cut to hurt. He seems to be doing the opposite right now.
Farhan cutting bait before Leone needs an operation like TJS. It sucks for Dominic, but it’s probably a smart business move for SF
Doesn’t really matter they will find someone else to come in from the pen and give up runs.
Pick him up Tigers
Please DFA rogers next
Littell first. Agreed, Rogers has been bad, but Littell’s been worse.