The Giants announced Tuesday that infielder David Villar has been designated for assignment in order to open a roster spot for Lou Trivino, whose contract has been selected. Trivino will make San Francisco’s Opening Day roster.
The writing has been on the wall for the out-of-options Villar for some time. The Giants extended Matt Chapman late last year, blocking Villar at third base. He’s struggled in limited big league playing time and isn’t a backup option at shortstop like fellow infielders Casey Schmitt and Brett Wisely — both of whom also have minor league options remaining.
That has led to the perception that Villar has been essentially auditioning for other clubs this spring, but he didn’t do much to help his cause on that front. He struck out in 36.7% of his plate appearances and hit .200/.265/.444 in Cactus League play.
Now that he’s been designated for assignment, the Giants will have five days to see if any club has trade interest. The DFA limbo period can last a week but the waiver process can take 48 hours, leaving five days for trade talks.
In addition to that poor showing this spring, Villar has hit .170/.243/.346 over the past two major league seasons while striking out 32.8% of the time. For any club to be interested, they would have to look past that. He had a strong showing in 2022, putting up a .231/.331/.455 line. Though even then, he was punched out at a 32% clip. He has also continued to hit in Triple-A, even while struggling in the big leagues. He slashed .265/.365/.465 at that level over the past two seasons. He struck out 26.1% of the time in that span but also drew walks at a 12.7% clip.
The strikeouts are a concern but Villar can bounce around to the non-shortstop infield positions and has less than a year of service time. If some club were willing to take a shot and then got a breakout, they could theoretically control him through the 2030 season.
As for Trivino, the 33-year-old reliever has some good work on his track record but has been beset by injuries for a while. In his 284 2/3 innings, he has allowed 3.86 earned runs per nine. His 10.6% walk rate is a bit high but he has punched out 24.5% of batters faced while getting grounders on 47.4% of balls in play.
He hasn’t pitched in a big league game since 2022, however. He underwent Tommy John surgery early in 2023, wiping out that season. In 2024, further elbow inflammation and a shoulder issue prevented him from getting back on the mound.
That meant he had to settle for a minor league deal with the Giants, one that came with a reported salary of $1.5MM if he made the team. He made the decision fairly easy for the club by throwing 9 1/3 scoreless innings in the spring. His four walks were a bit much but perhaps not surprising for a guy who missed the past two seasons. He also struck out 10 opponents and got grounders at a 55.6% clip.
I think David Villar could be the next Rooker.
He’s got a power bat but needs a chance to play. What’s hurt him in SF is his opposite field approach, which doesn’t play there.
I could see the Yankees taking a flyer.
Brewers and Yankees could use him. I wish my Cardinals would try to get him, but they won’t
@ davemlaw. Why do you think that? Villar is the age Rooker was when he had his breakout season, but Villar has never hit the ball as hard as Rooker did.
Always seemed like the classic AAAA player to me. He was handed the 3B position a couple years back and did not capitalize. Best of luck with his next attempt. Someone should give him a shot.
Might just be a late bloomer. Definitely has power and potential. Just no room with SFG.
With his K rate, I hope the Yankees stay away.
I think Villar was another subject of Farhan’s mishandling. Albeit, he was never much regarded as a prospect despite doing decently well in the minors. He can be a decent fill in guy and as a Giants fan, id much rather have kept him over Flores. Offers more flexibility at 3b and 1b whereas Flores offers nothing.
Flores can hit at the major league level.
Flores used to be able to hit at the major league level and is now a shell of his former self. He also might just have a little bit more trade value than Villar who has none but then we would have to trust Buster to learn how to make trades which according to you is like rocket surgery. Flores, Wade, and Yaz need to go to make room for these young guys who could end up being decent if they ever get the chance to play
“rocket surgery”? FF,just when we thought you couldn’t say anything more clownish. And you believe Yaz wade and Flores are blocking guys like Villar? Dude, you have exceeded clown-dom
Frugal —
You consistently comment like a guy who watches another sport. Curling?
Villar has had numerous decent chances and there is no reason to believe Flores can’t hit anymore. As usual, you are just making stuff up to suit your argument.
FF: If you had been watching as much Spring Training as possible you’d have seen Flores has been hitting the ball hard everywhere. And Villar hasn’t been hitting the ball hard at all. Villar has scared the hell out of the ball ( swing and miss) but not actually enough to put it in play. Wasn’t even a choice on who to keep
Flores hits game winning home run in Giants opener.
There should be a thumbs down button. You would be “recognized” many times FF.
Baseball 69: If you think the Giants would keep Villar instead of Flores that’s laughable. Flores can hit the ball much better and his defense is better. Flores can cover 2nd and third base if needed. Not ideal but very passable. And Villar strikes out more too. Giants did exactly what they should have.
He got a chance to play in 2023 when he was the starting 3rd baseman. He rewarded the teams faith in him by hitting .145 /.236/.315.
It’s not true that the “opposite field approach” doesn’t work in Oracle. Not sure where you got that.
Last year Ramos became the first player to hit a splash HR as a right handed hitter. Opposite field power at Oracle doesn’t play as well there as other ballparks.
It’s not my opinion, it’s been written elsewhere. Don’t be a gaslighter Pete, do your homework and report back tomorrow.
I have to agree with Pete on this. Hitting is about more than HRs. No argument that HRs to the opposite field at Oracle are extremely tough for RHHs. The PF for HRs for RHHs is 79.
But, Oracle has a PF of 140 for triples, and a 105 for doubles for righties. I’d guess triples alley has something to do with that. Compare that to LHHs where the PF is 113 and 1o2 respectively. It would seem to me that instead of trying to hit the ball out of the park, RHHs it would be better off trying to go the opposite.
Dave YOUR homework assignment is 1. tell us why right center is called triples alley and 2. how many right handed triples have been hit there. Gaslight us the answer tomorrow.
PS First season at Oracle, 2000, Doug Mirabelli, right handed slow as molasses catcher, 2 triples in triples alley.
2 triples total in his 12 year career. Only 1 year played in Oracle
I’ve always been a Villar fan. I’m thinking Kansas City. He could slot in at 1st or 3rd for many teams.
He could be the next Adam Duvall, traded by Brian Sabean after one poor year to Cincinnati in 2015 for Mike Leake. Sure could have used the 33 bombs he hit for the Reds in 2016, not to mention 160 others. And he became a Gold Glove outfielder to boot.
Those 33 HRs have a lot to do with him hitting at Great American Small Park. According to Statcast if he played a full season of home games there he would have hit 43 HRs in 2016. They have him hitting 25 with a full season at Oracle.
The Giants needed pitching that season. MLBTR described Leake as “in the midst of his third straight season of solid run prevention in one of baseball’s most hitter-friendly atmospheres.” Criticism of Sabean is just hindsight-based whining. Not to mention Gold Gloves do not always go to the better fielder. He was limited to LF because his numbers for the other OF positions, and the IF aren’t good.
Sabean literally built the late 90’s early 2000’s teams that were competitive year in year out. He had some struggles post/declining Bonds in the mid 2000’s, but his drafting during that time of struggle led to the 2010 to 2014 run.
All GMs in hindsight have had some stinkers. But Sabean’s run was by in large the most successful in SFG history. To criticize the Duvall/Leake trade seems petty in comparison to all he accomplished.
I’m sure he’s a good dude, but calm down everyone, Villar is going back to Sac. Why? Because other teams aren’t as interested as many of you think.
Other teams could claim him then DFA and try to pass him thru waivers, ala Farhan.
I’d just like David to get a chance somewhere in a low pressure environment like Miami or South Side Chicago. Or even better, with the A’s; we know he can hit in Sacramento.
I also believe if SFG had made 3rd base an open competition between Villar and JD Davis in 2023 it would’ve been better for the team and Villar. He wasn’t quite ready.
Management has a pretty good read on the needed makeup of the early season roster and how much runway they get from the 26th place on the major league roster.
Both trivino and villar will continue to have roles to play in the majors. The roles, will be somewhat minor. Both are hard workers worth rooting for. Go giants.
Step 1: hoard minor-league deals for injury bounce-backs (Trivino), filter them through spring, and plug winners into the 40-man.
Step 2: DFA blocked, out-of-options prospects (Villar) to shop them mid-process, banking on their upside to net a return—or retain them if the market sleeps. It’s a double arbitrage—buy low on rehab talent, sell high on surplus youth—all with minimal risk.
Step 3: ???
Step 4: Profit!