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Hello and happy Friday.
The San Francisco Giants have avoided making a big splash this offseason, which was highlighted by a trio of moves that happened on Thursday. Cleveland superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor was traded to the New York Mets, and right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano opted to continue pitching in Japan because no MLB team met his asking price.
As if to perfectly frame how little the San Francisco Giants are doing with regards to those types of possibilities, the team counteracted those big happenings by ... signing a reliever to a Minor League contract.
According to Marc Delucchi, the Giants are nearing a deal with right-handed pitcher Jay Jackson.
RHP Jay Jackson is close to a minor-league deal with the #SFGiants, according to an industry source. Big strikeout stuff (13.2 K/9), but has had some control issues at MLB level. Still, he’s been dominant at Triple-A and in Japan since moving to the bullpen in 2015.
— Marc Delucchi (@maddelucchi) January 7, 2021
After being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the ninth round of the 2008 draft, Jackson only appeared in two different MLB seasons: 2015 with the San Diego Padres and 2019 with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 34 career appearances he has a 4.67 ERA, a 4.33 FIP, and 51 strikeouts to 19 walks in 34.2 innings.
He’s pitched very well in Japan’s NPB, where he has 182 appearances in four seasons. In that time he has a 2.16 ERA with 204 strikeouts to 71 walks in 183 innings.
We’ll see if he makes the bullpen.
Big moves, baby.
Old, random MCC article for you to read
Madison Bumgarner doesn’t think much of Alex Guerrero (April 29, 2015 — Grant Brisbee)
Giants links
- Maria Guardado answers a mailbag, and touches on where Joey Bart will start the year in 2021 (MLB)
- Mark W. Sanchez on how the search for pitching continues with the Giants missing out on Tomoyuki Sugano (KNBR)
- Alex Pavlovic on what the Francisco Lindor trade means for the Giants (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Ezra Berman on if the Giants should have traded for Blake Snell (Around the Foghorn)
- Nick San Miguel on three right-handed power hitters for the Giants to target (Around the Foghorn)
How many days until Opening Day?
There are 83 days until Opening Day.
Have a wonderful Friday.