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The San Francisco Giants made a flurry of moves on Sunday morning, moving four players around.
Left-handed pitcher Jarlin Garcia, who was picked up on waivers earlier in the year, has been reinstated from the Injured List and added to the active roster.
Left-handed pitcher Andrew Suárez has been optioned back to the Alternate Training Site, and will join the team’s taxi squad.
Right-handed pitcher Trevor Cahill has been added to the taxi squad.
Middle infielder Abiatal Avelino has been designated for assignment.
ROSTER MOVES:
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 9, 2020
• LHP Jarlin Garcia reinstated from the 60-day IL.
• LHP Andrew Suarez optioned to the Alternate Training Site & added to the Taxi Squad.
• IF Abiatal Avelino designated for assignment.
• RHP Trevor Cahill added to the Taxi Squad.#SFGiants
Whew.
Let’s unpack it all.
Garcia, a reliever, had a very nice 2019 for the Miami Marlins. He had 39 strikeouts to 16 walks in 50.2 innings, and had an ERA of 3.02 and an FIP of 3.77. For rather inexplicable reasons, the Marlins — arguably baseball’s most talent-deficient team — waived the 27-year old who was coming off of a 1.2 rWAR season, and the Giants pounced.
But Garcia was very late to join the team’s Summer Camp, and was placed on the Injured List with an undisclosed ailment. As the San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman reports, Garcia was placed on what is colloquially called the “COVID IL,” a 60-day Injured List that players can come off of at any point.
So, the roster move with Jarlin Garcia is, as they say, complicated. The #SFGiants never announced, and still haven't, why he was going on the IL. Privacy, you know. But he was placed on what is commonly referred to as the "COVID IL." That's a 60-day IL, but w/ no minimum stay...
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) August 9, 2020
Garcia replaces Suárez, who was optioned for the second time this week, this time just one day after being added to the roster.
The lefty first joined the active roster on Aug. 3 when Andrew Triggs was optioned. Three days later, the Giants optioned Suárez to trim the roster to a league-mandated 28 players. On Saturday he rejoined the team following Jeff Samardzija’s placement on the IL, and now he’s back to the taxi squad. He’s yet to appear in a game this year.
Cahill was slowed in Summer Camp and the first few weeks of the season due to a fingernail issue. He finally returned to the mound a few days ago, pitching a simulation game on Friday.
Cahill threw a three+ inning SIM game Friday. Possible he could get an inning or two today and still start Wednesday for Samardzija. But Cahill probably available for bulk work before then if needed. Then Kapler/Bailey can adjust later. #SFGiants
— Henry Schulman (@hankschulman) August 9, 2020
The veteran righty is coming off a rough 2019 with the Los Angeles Angels, but had a very strong 2018 (3.76 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 100 K and 41 BB in 110 IP) for the Oakland A’s.
Finally, Avelino — whom the Giants acquired when they traded Andrew McCutchen to the New York Yankees — has seen his time on the 40-man roster end. Assuming he clears waivers, the Giants can reassign him to Sacramento (where he’s been), should he accept the assignment.