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Jason Vosler

Giants Reinstate Brandon Belt, Dominic Leone From COVID List

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The Giants have reinstated first baseman Brandon Belt and right-hander Dominic Leone from the COVID-related injured list.  Infielder Jason Vosler and righty Sean Hjelle were optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding roster moves.

Belt and Leone return after positive COVID-19 tests sidelined the duo on April 29.  Both were off to strong starts — Belt hit .242/.367/.470 with four home runs over his first 79 plate appearances, while Leone had a 2.57 ERA over his first eight innings out of the Giants bullpen.

With Belt moving back to his customary first base spot, Wilmer Flores (who had been filling in at first base) is likely to slide across the diamond and take over at third now that Vosler is back in Triple-A.  Evan Longoria has yet to play this season due to finger surgery, but the veteran is on a minor league rehab assignment and could be close to his 2022 debut.

Giants Notes: Wade, Outfield, Deadline, DeSclafani

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The Giants announced Monday afternoon that they’ve reinstated outfielders Alex Dickerson and Darin Ruf from the injured list. Infielder Jason Vosler and, more surprisingly, outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. were optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to open space on the 26-man roster. It’s a tough break for Wade, who has hit quite well in his first season with San Francisco — albeit in a tiny sample of 94 plate appearances. Acquired in a lopsided deal that sent righty Shaun Anderson to Minnesota — the Twins already lost Anderson on waivers — Wade is hitting .265/.344/.470 with four homers, three doubles, a triple and a pair of steals in his limited time as a Giant.

That’s a far cry from anything Wade has done previously in the Majors or in Triple-A, particularly in the power department, and it’s worth noting that Wade has batted a tepid .220/.273/.390 over his past 11 games. Still, the overall numbers are solid and ought to earn the 27-year-old another look before too long. The Giants are quite active when it comes to roster turnover, and Wade only needs to be down for 10 days (or less, if recalled in place of someone going on the injured  list) before he can return.

More on the Giants…

  • Many Giants fans expressed immediate frustration to see Wade optioned out when hitting so well — particularly with veteran outfielder Mike Tauchman struggling so much at the plate. Tauchman hasn’t started a game since June 14, and he hasn’t tallied a multi-hit game since collecting three knocks in his Giants debut back on April 28 after he was acquired from the Yankees. He’s also out of minor league options, however, meaning he’d need to be designated for assignment and passed through waivers if the team hopes to send him down. Given Tauchman’s .171/.287/.271 slash through 150 plate appearances with San Francisco, there’s a straightforward argument that that’s the route the team should’ve taken, but clearly the front office isn’t quite yet to that point. As Kerry Crowley of the San Jose Mercury News points out, the Giants also have several left-handed opponents on the horizon, and the left-handed-hitting Wade’s production thus far has come entirely against righties.
  • Giants CEO Larry Baer discussed the trade deadline on this week’s Giants Talk podcast (link via Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). As one would expect from most MLB execs, Baer was a bit guarded and rather vague, so as not to reveal too much, but he made clear that ownership is prepared to greenlight the front office to make some additions to bolster the roster. Baer effused praise for president of baseball ops Farhan Zaidi, GM Scott Harris and the rest of the recently reworked front office, stating that the group has quickly garnered “so much credibility” with ownership and expressed a desire to “do what’s right by the club and [the front office’s] recommendations.” While Baer didn’t foreshadow any potential target areas for the front office, it’s no doubt encouraging for the fanbase to hear ownership state that the “number one factor” at this year’s trade deadline will be: “how are we best set up to win this year?”
  • Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani spoke with John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle about the league’s forthcoming crackdown on foreign substance usage. “I’m not a user, so they can come check me whenever they want,” the righty said. DeSclafani noted the extremely low spin on his curveball and said he’s tried in the past to increase the spin and do so legally, but without much success. It’s been interesting to hear various players around the league weigh in on the foreign substance policy, and DeSclafani had several quotes on the matter in his chat with Shea for those who are interested. Lack of spin notwithstanding, the 31-year-old DeSclafani has been nothing short of excellent for the Giants. Since signing a one-year pact over the winter, he’s started 14 games and pitched to a 3.01 ERA with a 22.1 percent strikeout rate and 6.9 percent walk rate in 80 2/3 frames. Like many of his rotation-mates — Kevin Gausman, Alex Wood, Johnny Cueto and the currently injured Aaron Sanchez — DeSclafani is slated to become a free agent at season’s end. (San Francisco holds a $22MM option on Cueto, though the accompanying $5MM buyout looks likelier at present.)

Giants Activate Wilmer Flores, Logan Webb From 10-Day IL

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The Giants activated infielder Wilmer Flores and right-hander Logan Webb from the 10-day injured list.  Both players are slated to return to action tonight, as Webb is scheduled to start tonight’s game with the Dodgers and Flores is in the lineup as the starting first baseman.  Righty Nick Tropeano and infielder Jason Vosler were optioned to Triple-A to create roster space.

Both Flores and Webb will end up missing the minimum 10 days due to what (thankfully) appears to have been minor injuries.  Flores hit the IL due to a right hamstring strain, while Webb was sidelined with a right shoulder strain.

Flores’ return comes at a particularly opportune time for the Giants, as first basemen Brandon Belt and Darin Ruf are both on the 10-day IL themselves.  The club can now at least tread water at the position with an experienced first baseman like Flores, plus Austin Slater and LaMonte Wade Jr. can also fill in at first base in a pinch.  Flores is off to something of a slow start this year, with a .219/.308/.343 slash line over 120 plate appearances that is well off his .277/.323/.469 mark from 2016-20.

San Francisco has gotten strong results from its starting pitchers this year, Webb included.  The right-hander has a 4.09 ERA/3.50 SIERA over 44 innings, with a strong 58.7% grounder rate and a strikeout rate (25%) that is slightly above the league average.

Injury Notes: Crawford, Longoria, Rendon, Nola, Giolito

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The Giants made Brandon Crawford a late scratch from yesterday’s lineup due to quad tightness.  Evan Longoria also missed his second consecutive game with hamstring tightness, after the same issue forced him to make an early exit from last Thursday’s game.  To add some extra infield help, the Giants called up Jason Vosler from the alternate training site prior to yesterday’s game (reliever Jarlin Garcia was placed on the 10-day IL with a left groin strain).

San Francisco has more infield depth than most clubs, though even the Giants’ roster has been stressed with Crawford and Longoria both hurting and Donovan Solano already on the injured list recovering from a calf strain.  Mauricio Dubon is the top choice to fill in at shortstop if Crawford has to miss any more time, while Wilmer Flores has been handling third base in Longoria’s absence.  It also creates an opportunity for Vosler, who made his MLB debut last night.  The 27-year-old was a 16th-round pick for the Cubs back in 2014, and Vosler has spent his minor league career in the Cubs and Padres farm systems, also spending time at San Diego’s alternate training site in 2020.

The latest on some other injury situations from around baseball…

  • Anthony Rendon could return to the Angels’ lineup tomorrow or Tuesday, manager Joe Maddon told The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya and other reporters.  Rendon hit the 10-day IL due to a left groin strain back on April 12, so the third baseman will likely end up missing only slightly more than the 10-day minimum.  Anaheim’s already-strong offense will be even more dangerous with the addition of a former All-Star in Rendon, who is entering his second season with the team.
  • Austin Nola could return to the Padres lineup next week, manager Jayce Tingler told reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune).  Nola has been out since mid-March after fracturing his left middle finger in Spring Training, though Nola is playing games at the Padres’ alternate training site.  San Diego has relied upon Victor Caratini and top prospect Luis Campusano to handle catching duties in Nola’s absence, though neither Caratini or Campusano have been very productive at the plate.
  • Michael Kopech will start for the White Sox today rather than originally-scheduled starter Lucas Giolito, who told reporters (including Vinnie Duber of NBC Sports Chicago) he has been “pushed back a couple of days” due to a cut on the middle finger of his throwing hand.  As Giolito explained in self-deprecating fashion, he suffered the minor injury because “I thought that a glass water bottle I had was twist-off, and it wasn’t twist-off.”  The team decided to hold Giolito out of today’s start just to be cautious, and the right-hander expects to pitch Tuesday when the White Sox open a series against the Tigers.

Giants Sign Jason Vosler To Major League Deal

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The Giants agreed to terms with third baseman Jason Vosler on a Major League contract, the team announced. Their 40-man roster now has two open spots.

Vosler spent most of his development years in the Cubs’ farm system after they selected him in the 16th round of the 2014 draft. He spent 2019 with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate. He joined the Friars in a low-key, but notable deal in November of 2018. The Cubs sent Vosler to San Diego for reliever Rowan Wick, who since became one of the Cubs more reliable bullpen arms. At the time, the 24-year-old Vosler was the Cubs’ #25 prospect per Baseball America, while Wick was a 26-year-old converted catcher with 10 Major League appearances to his name.

The Athletic’s resident soothsayer Grant Brisbee included Vosler among his list of minor league free agents that the Giants might target in his article yesterday. Brisbee wrote that Vosler “hit .291/.367/.523 in 2019 for the El Paso Chihuahuas, which isn’t that impressive for the Pacific Coast League. But that was the third year in a row that he hit at least 20 home runs, which isn’t something that you can say about most minor-league free agents. He’s a lefty bat whose primary position is third base, though he’s also spent time at second and first. In a minor-league free-agent class that’s lacking in power, this is one of the only good options.”

The Padres had no room for Vosler with an infield stocked by regulars Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Jake Cronenworth, and Eric Hosmer. The Giants can use Vosler to spell Evan Longoria or Donovan Solano against certain right-handers. The Giants ran a right-heavy bench last season, giving Vosler a clear path to a role with the big league club in 2021, depending on other transactions.

Vosler has yet to make his big league debut, though he did join the Padres 60-man player pool last August.

Padres Add Three To Player Pool

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The Padres announced that they’ve added left-hander Travis Radke and infielders Seth Mejias-Brean and Jason Vosler to their 60-man player pool. All three will head to the club’s alternate training site. The additions bring San Diego’s pool up to a total of 57 players.

Radke, 27, pitched well across three minor league levels in 2019, working to a combined 2.64 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 71 2/3 innings of relief work. He allowed only two home runs in that time and posted a ground-ball rate north of 60 percent as well. A 25th-round pick back in 2014, Radke underwent Tommy John surgery that cost him the entire 2016 season and much of the 2017 season. Radke has never been considered a high-end prospect within the organization, but he carries a cumulative 2.22 ERA since returning from surgery and also threw well in a 2018 Fall League stint.

Mejias-Brean made his MLB debut with the Friars last season and clubbed a pair of home runs in a brief look that included 33 plate appearances. The 29-year-old can play all over the infield and is a career .269/.334/.382 hitter in just shy of 1500 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.

San Diego acquired Vosler, now 26, in the 2018 trade that sent right-hander Rowan Wick to the Cubs. He split his time evenly between first base and third base with the Padres’ Triple-A club last year, posting a quality .291/.367/.523 slash with 20 long balls, 19 doubles and four triples in 425 trips to the plate. Between the right-handed-hitting Mejias-Brean and the lefty-swinging Vosler, the Padres look to have added some largely MLB-ready infield depth that can cover multiple positions and platoon scenarios.

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