Giants Rumors

Giants Recall Austin Slater

By Steve Adams | July 1, 2019 at 1:52pm CDT

The Giants have recalled outfielder/infielder Austin Slater to make his season debut, the team announced. In a corresponding move, right-hander Dereck Rodriguez was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento for the second time this season. Slater will be the 12th different outfielder used by the Giants in 2019. Five of the previous outfield options are no longer with the organization.

Now 26 years old, Slater showed some promise when he was called up for his big league debut in 2017, hitting at a .282/.339/.402 clip with three home runs in 127 plate appearances. Over a larger sample of 227 plate appearances the following season, however, Slater’s strikeout rate spiked from 22.8 percent to 30.7 percent as his batting line dipped to .251/.333/.307. He posted characteristically strong numbers in Triple-A last year, but his struggles led him to pursue some changes to his swing mechanics in the offseason, as recently explored at McCovey Chronicles.

Within that interview Slater admitted to struggling with his new swing in Spring Training, but the results so far in 2019 have been promising. Slater has posted a .308/.436/.529 line with a dozen homers and 17 doubles in 296 plate appearances. The Pacific Coast League is a known hitters’ haven, so the numbers are surely a bit inflated, but it’s also worth noting that Slater is walking at a career-best 15.5 percent clip as well.

Perhaps most interesting with Slater is the manner in which he’s been deployed defensively in Sacramento. While he’s primarily been a corner outfielder and first baseman in recent seasons, Slater has played all three outfield positions as well as first base, second base and third base. That marks his first real exposure to third base and his first significant action at second base since playing 96 games there back in 2015. If he’s able to continue his hot hitting in the big leagues, he could be deployed all over the diamond and give manager Bruce Bochy some flexibility when making moves late in games.

The demotion for Rodriguez, 27, is the latest speed bump in what’s been a disappointing season for the righty. Rodriguez looked like a needle-in-a-haystack find for the Giants last season when he parlayed a minor league contract into a 2.81 ERA / 3.74 FIP over the course of 118 1/3 innings. The organization surely hoped that Rodriguez could be a long-term option, at least at the back of the rotation, but he’s struggled to a 5.27 ERA in 2019. Rodriguez’s walk and home-run rates have soared while his strikeout rate has simultaneously dipped. San Francisco has also tried him in the bullpen, but Rodriguez has yielded 10 runs in 15 innings out of the bullpen. Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle suggests (via Twitter) that the plan for him is to go to Sacramento and get regular work as a starter once again.

Rays Rumors: Smith, Deadline, McKay, Montreal Plan

By Steve Adams | July 1, 2019 at 11:35am CDT

The Rays’ recent slump has seen them go 7-13, including a four-game sweep at Yankee Stadium, thus dropping them down the standings in the AL East rather precipitously. Tampa Bay had a half-game lead over New York as recently as June 10, but the Rays suddenly face a seven-game deficit in the division. As such, the team has had to “back off its trade pursuits,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Tampa Bay still holds a Wild Card position in the AL, so it’s not as if the team will operate as a seller this month, but teams are often less aggressive at the deadline when they believe they’re playing for a one-game playoff as opposed to a guaranteed berth in the division series. Giants closer Will Smith had been a “primary target” for the Rays, Rosenthal adds, but it’s not clear if they’ll aggressively pursue him now.

Tampa Bay faces a critical stretch of games over the next few weeks, as they’ll play the eight times Yankees and the hapless Orioles seven times in their next 15 games. That’ll provide ample opportunity to either climb back into the division race but could also create a near-insurmountable gap if New York once again dominates the series. The outcome of the Rays’ next stretch of games will likely go a long way in dictating how strongly they’ll pursue bullpen upgrades in trade talks with the Giants and other sellers.

Giants CEO Larry Baer To Return From Suspension July 2

By Connor Byrne | June 30, 2019 at 10:21am CDT

The Giants announced Saturday that CEO and president Larry Baer will return July 2 from his unpaid 120-day suspension. Major League Baseball issued a four-month ban to Baer as a result of a public altercation he had with his wife on March 1. Baer wrested the phone from her during a verbal argument, causing her to fall to the ground.

Baer has taken part in a “regular counseling program” during his hiatus, the team announced. He was contrite Saturday, writing as part of a statement: “I’ve been able to take a step back and take stock of myself as a person and as a leader. I am wiser for it, and the work continues. The journey of self-discovery, like so much in life, is ongoing and never-ending.”

Once Baer officially returns to the Giants, he’ll take on a lesser role. The Giants announced that board member Rob Dean, who has been the team’s acting president and CEO with Baer away, will take over as chairman of the franchise and act as its designated control person. He and Baer “will represent the club with MLB,” according to the Giants.

The organization will be run in a “more collaborative manner” when Baer comes back, with other executives taking on some of Baer’s previous duties, Dean told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.

“The Giants will have many faces with one voice, where historically it really was Larry as the one face and one voice,” said Dean.

While Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi used to report to Baer, he’ll now answer to Dean.

Giants Sign First-Rounder Hunter Bishop

By Ty Bradley | June 29, 2019 at 2:45pm CDT

Per Jim Callis of MLB.com, the Giants have agreed to terms with first-rounder Hunter Bishop on a $4.1MM, below-slot deal. The deal is over $500K south of the approximately $4.74MM slot value for the 10th overall selection.

Bishop, the brother of Mariners outfielder Braden Bishop, is an outfielder who attended the same high school (Serra, in San Mateo, CA) and college (Arizona State) as Giants legend Barry Bonds. The 6’5 lefty came late to baseball after devoting much of his pre-university energies to football, a sport he initially pledged to play at the University of Washington.

Bishop’s freshman and sophomore outputs were muted, but an offseason swing change unlocked a full range of theretofore unseen offensive talents, including top-scale bat speed and a plate discipline that endeared him to club executives across the league. Baseball America takes particular care to laud his “70-grade power” and “plus running ability” while noting that, though he’s possessing of the requisite tools to remain in center field, he may better suited for a corner. FanGraphs’ scouting report is notably bearish on Bishop’s current 30-grade arm, which the publication believes could be an issue in seasons to come.

Regardless, Bishop will hope to pair with other highly-touted offensive talents Joey Bart, Heliot Ramos, and the electric Marco Luciano to form the core of what the Giants hope will be the club’s next championship squad.

Bishop’s signing was just one in a slew of high-round inkings for the club today: as Callis notes, the Giants also agreed to terms with second-rounder Logan Wyatt (for $1MM; slot value: $1.47MM), fourth-rounder Tyler Fitzgerald (for full-slot $497.5K), and eighth-rounder Caleb Killian (for $400K, more than double the pick’s $176.3K slot value).

Pablo Sandoval Drawing Trade Interest

By Connor Byrne | June 28, 2019 at 7:51pm CDT

Giants corner infielder Pablo Sandoval is drawing interest as the July 31 trade deadline comes closer, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports California. The question is whether the out-of-contention Giants will get a good enough offer to justify dealing the fan favorite, Pavlovic notes.

The second San Francisco act has been a successful one for Sandoval, whose career looked as if it was nearing an end when he signed a minor league contract with the Giants in July 2017. At that point, the Kung Fu Panda was coming off a terrible two-plus seasons with the Red Sox, who lured him away from the then-reigning World Series champion Giants on a five-year, $95MM guarantee entering the 2015 campaign. The switch-hitting Sandoval owned three World Series rings, a lifetime .294/.346/.465 slash (122 wRC+) and 20.1 fWAR over 3,533 plate appearances when he became a Red Sox.

Sandoval couldn’t have been much worse during an injury-limited stint in Boston, where he batted .237/.286/.360 (72 wRC+) with minus-1.8 fWAR in 620 PA. The Red Sox declared Sandoval a sunk cost when they released him in July 2017, and they’ll continue to pay him through the end of the current season.

With Sandoval a few months away from reaching free agency again, it makes sense for the out-of-contention Giants to gauge interest in the 32-year-old. Sandoval has boosted his trade value by offering resurgent production in San Francisco, especially during a 2019 campaign in which he has hit .286/.324/.571 (128 wRC+) with 10 home runs and 1.1 fWAR in 173 trips to the plate. There are red flags accompanying that output, however. As has been the case throughout his career, Sandoval has been a liability against left-handed pitchers. He’s also benefiting from a .327 batting average on balls in play – his highest since 2009 – and may have a difficult time sustaining a .286 isolated power mark that’s 118 points above his career average.

Of course, just as there’s cause for skepticism in regards to Sandoval’s numbers, there are reasons to expect he’ll keep it up. Sandoval ranks near the top of the majors in exit velocity (70th percentile), expected batting average (87th percentile), hard-hit rate (87th percentile) and expected slugging percentage (93rd percentile), according to Statcast. And Sandoval’s expected weighted on-base average (.373; 83rd percentile) is almost identical to his .372 real wOBA.

Although Sandoval isn’t the $95MM player the Red Sox mistakenly saw him as five years ago, he’s clearly back to serving as a useful contributor. Adding to his appeal, Sandoval’s essentially making the league minimum as the Red Sox foot the majority of the bill on him until his contract runs out. Those factors could certainly help the Giants find a taker for Sandoval over the next month.

Twins Reportedly Interested In Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith

By Connor Byrne | June 26, 2019 at 9:09am CDT

9:09am: The Twins and Giants haven’t held “high-level talks in recent weeks” regarding Bumgarner, Jeff Passan of ESPN hears. On the other hand, the Twins are interested in Giants closer Will Smith, per Passan. The 29-year-old Smith may be an even more enticing rental than Bumgarner. Not only is Smith on an appealing $4.23MM salary, but the southpaw has been one of the most dominant relievers in the game this season. Smith has registered a 1.95 ERA/2.01 FIP with 13.64 K/9 and 1.95 BB/9 across 32 1/3 innings, and has converted all 21 of his save opportunities.

8:15am: While Minnesota owns the American League’s best record at 51-27, it’s not resting on its laurels with the July 31 trade deadline approaching. The club has “strong interest” in Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports. The Twins are not on Bumgarner’s limited no-trade list, as Nightengale notes, so he wouldn’t be able to stand in the way of a deal.

The Twins’ starting staff has statistically been one of the most productive in the majors’ this year, having put together a 3.74 ERA/3.95 FIP with 8.27 K/9 against 2.36 BB/9. Jose Berrios and Jake Odorizzi have offered excellent production, while Kyle Gibson and Martin Perez have given the team a pair of fine complements. Perez has struggled of late, though, and while Michael Pineda hasn’t posted great aggregate production this year in his return from Tommy John surgery, he has picked it up since the start of May.

For the Twins, acquiring Bumgarner would likely mean sending one of Perez or Pineda into their bullpen. And landing Bumgarner would also keep him away from AL rivals, including the Yankees, who may pursue the three-time world champion in an effort to bolster their rotation. While the 29-year-old Bumgarner is no longer performing like the front-line starter he was during his halcyon days, he remains a quality option who will draw no shortage of interest over the next month-plus.

In his most recent start Tuesday, Bumgarner fired six innings of 11-strikeout ball in a win over the Rockies, who mustered three hits, three walks and two earned runs off him. Bumgarner has now pitched to a 4.21 ERA/4.16 FIP, which isn’t spectacular, though he has recorded 9.12 strikeouts per nine against 2.1 walks. He has also averaged six innings per start, having totaled 102 2/3 frames in 17 appearances, and maintained his normal velocity. It’s also worth noting Bumgarner has a reputation as one of the game’s elite playoff pitchers, though it’s unclear how much that will matter to modern front offices when it comes time to pony up for him via trade.

The Giants, for their part, don’t necessarily have to deal Bumgarner. While Bumgarner’s only under contract through this season, during which he’s earning $12MM, he’s a franchise icon they may try to extend. At the same time, though, the Giants aren’t contenders this year and seem unlikely to put together a playoff-caliber team by next season. Considering that and the Giants’ weak farm system, it’s likely they’ll cash Bumgarner in for prospects – perhaps at least one top 100 farmhand – in the coming weeks.

Giants Place Steven Duggar On IL, Recall Alex Dickerson

By Connor Byrne | June 21, 2019 at 5:50pm CDT

The Giants have placed outfielder Steven Duggar on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain and recalled fellow outfielder Alex Dickerson from Triple-A Sacramento, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports California was among those to report.

The rookie Duggar has been a regular this season in the Giants’ outfield, where he has split time between center and right. Duggar has combined for an impressive eight Defensive Runs Saved in those spots, though the 25-year-old’s offense has lagged behind. He has hit an ugly .234/.277/.343 (64 wRC+) with four home runs in 267 plate appearances, thus contributing to the generally terrible numbers the Giants’ outfield has put up in 2019.

Duggar’s injury means San Francisco will get its first look at Dickerson, whom it acquired from NL West rival San Diego on June 10. Dickerson enjoyed success as a rookie in 2016 with the Padres, hitting .257/.333/.445 (111 wRC+) with 10 HRs in 285 PA. However, back problems and Tommy John surgery completely kept him out of action from 2017-18.

Dickerson, 29, bounced back in a big way this season with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate before the team dealt him, as he slashed .372/.469/.606 (168 wRC+) with five HRs in 113 trips to the plate. Although, since the Giants acquired him, Dickerson has collected just three hits (all singles) with their highest minors affiliate.

Giants Claim Joey Rickard, Place Nick Vincent On 60-Day IL

By Jeff Todd | June 21, 2019 at 1:16pm CDT

The Giants have claimed outfielder Joey Rickard from the Orioles, per a club announcement. He had been designated for assignment recently.

To create 40-man roster space, the club placed reliever Nick Vincent on the 60-day injured list. He has been sidelined for nearly a month already with a pec strain.

Rickard will become the latest outfielder to get a look with the San Francisco organization, though he could open up his tenure at Triple-A. He’s a .245/.299/.372 hitter through 924 career plate appearances in the majors.

As for Vincent, this move seems to take away any hope that he’d be a mid-summer trade piece for the Giants. Vincent had a great start to the year before hitting a rough patch in his last several outings. Even if he’s able to get back to health, the veteran righty won’t be eligible for activation until just before the trade deadline.

Johnny Cueto Still On Track For Potential 2019 Return

By Jeff Todd | June 21, 2019 at 10:58am CDT

Giants righty Johnny Cueto has been on a relatively aggressive timetable in his effort to work back from Tommy John surgery. He’s still on track for a possible return to the majors this September, as Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group reports.

The 33-year-old Cueto was turning in good results last year when he went down, making it through 53 frames of 3.23 ERA ball. But his velocity was down and the peripherals painted a different picture. His outlook soured quite a bit more when it was determined he’d require a replacement ulnar collateral ligament last August.

Expectations will be modest, but there’s still quite a bit at stake here for the San Francisco organization. Cueto is earning $21MM annually through the 2021 season, with a $5MM buyout due thereafter on a $22MM club option. It’s tough to imagine he’ll be worth anything close to his annual salary moving forward, but every bit of contribution will help the club to stomach its already-fixed financial commitment.

Cueto is still working out at the Giants’ Arizona facility, so he’ll hop over to Chase Field for a ’pen session while the club is in town. If all continues to go well, says Crowley, Cueto could embark upon a rehab assignment in August and be back in the bigs for the final month of the season. That would represent a fast-tracked, though hardly unprecedented return. While the Giants won’t have much to play for, seeing him in action could at least help with the offseason planning.

MLB Draft Signings: 6/13/19

By Connor Byrne and Mark Polishuk | June 13, 2019 at 4:08pm CDT

Let’s catch up on the latest noteworthy draft signings, with the latest moves at the top of the post. Click here for the full list of slot values and draft pool bonuses, and you can find prospect rankings and scouting reports from Baseball America’s Top 500, Fangraphs’ Top 200, MLB.com’s Top 200, and the Top 50 of ESPN.com’s Keith Law….

Latest Signings

The Twins reached a deal with second-rounder Matt Canterino, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets. Canterino’s $1.1MM bonus is less than the $1,338,500 slot price associated with the 54th overall draft position. Canterino was ranked 34th on Baseball America’s list of draft prospects, described as “one of the funkier pitchers in this year’s draft class” due to an unusual delivery that has proven to be consistently repeatable. A right-hander out of Rice University, Canterino has a plus slider and a fastball that can hit 95mph though is most often thrown in the 90-91mph range.
The Mariners have signed second-round pick Brandon Williamson, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports (via Twitter). The TCU left-hander will get a $925K bonus, so Seattle will save some money given the 59th pick’s recommended $1,185,500 bonus price. Both MLB.com (which ranked Williamson 83rd on their prospect list) and Baseball America (which had him 86th) see a bit of hidden-gem potential in Williamson, given his 6’5″ frame and a promising four-pitch array, though BA’s scouting report doesn’t feel he currently has a true plus pitch.
The Rays have agreed to a deal with second-rounder John Doxaxis, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link). Doxaxis signed for the full slot price of $1,129,700 recommended for the 61st overall pick, as per Callis. A left-hander out of Texas A&M, Doxaxis received his highest prospect ranking from MLB.com, which rated him 44th and praised his ability to throw strikes with all three of his pitches. With Doxasis now signed, the Rays have reached agreement with all four of their top draft picks.

Earlier Today

The Reds have agreed to an above-slot deal with second-round pick Rece Hinds, as per MLB.com’s Jim Callis. Hinds will receive a $1,797,500 bonus, a nice bump up from the $1,507,600 slot price attached to the 49th overall pick. Baseball America gave Hinds the highest ranking (39th) of any of the draft pundits, noting that the 18-year-old has a very strong throwing arm and “easily has 70-grade raw power currently, and you don’t have to look far to find scouts who will put 80-grade power on Hinds’ bat.” There isn’t yet much overall hitting polish behind this power, however, and though Hinds was drafted as a shortstop, he’ll very likely be moved to third base or potentially the corner outfield in his future.
The Giants have agreed with fifth-rounder Garrett Frechette, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports (Twitter link). The deal will pay Frechette an $800K bonus, well over double the $371.6K slot value attached to the 146th overall pick. It’s a sizable commitment to the high school outfield/first baseman, who had committed to attend San Diego State. Frechette’s selection spot also outpaced his status in the eyes of pre-draft pundits, as MLB.com had him as the 196th-best prospect in the draft while Baseball America ranked him 214th. This could be due to an injury-filled senior season for Frechette, who displayed some intriguing left-handed power potential when he did take the field.
The Cardinals have inked second-rounder Trejyn Fletcher to an above-slot deal, Callis reports. Fletcher’s pick (No. 58) had a $1.22MM slot value, but the Redbirds gave the high school outfielder $1.5MM. Callis and Mayo ranked Fletcher as the 87th-best player available entering the draft, owing to the 18-year-old’s “tantalizing combination of plus raw power, speed and arm strength.” If all goes well, Fletcher could evolve into a 20-20 center fielder in the majors, Callis and Mayo write, though they note his development will require a large amount of patience.

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