The Giants have designated Aaron Sanchez for assignment, per Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle. Additionally, John Brebbia was recalled, Kevin Gausman was reinstated from the paternity list and Thairo Estrada was optioned to Triple-A.
Signed to a one-year deal in the offseason, Sanchez’s season got off to a nice enough start. After six starts, he had an ERA of 3.18. But he struggled to pitch deep into games, never going longer than five innings. On May 8th, he was placed on the IL with biceps tightness and then struggled to return because of blister issues during his rehab, something that has plagued him over the course of his career. He was eventually reinstated from the IL July 29th and has made three appearances since then, but evidently not showing enough promise to hold onto a roster spot. Overall, he’s thrown 35 1/3 innings this season with an ERA of 3.06, with his typical mix of low strikeouts but lots of ground balls.
Sanchez is playing on a $4MM salary, of which about $1.2MM remains to be paid out. If some pitching-needy team were to grab him off waivers, they could do so with a modest increase to the payroll and luxury tax ledger. Though it’s also possible that teams will just wait for him to clear waivers, at which point they could pay him the prorated league minimum with the Giants on the hook for the rest of that money. The contract signed between Sanchez and the Giants also came with incentives based on games started, beginning once he reached his 16th of the season. Since he’s currently sitting at seven starts on the year, it seems unlikely any of those incentives will be reached.
Brebbia pitched very well for the Cardinals from 2017 to 2019, throwing 175 innings with an ERA of 3.14, a strikeout rate of 27.4% and walk rate of 7.5%. Unfortunately, Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2020 season, leading to the Cardinals non-tendering him, before he signed with the Giants. In 15 innings thus far for San Fran, he has a 6.60 ERA, though advanced metrics are much more bullish.
Noel1982
Injures robbed this guy of velocity and movement ! Sadly he’s reduced to throwing non moving pitches that top out in the low to mid 80s
mlb1225
Hard to believe his sinker sat around 95-97 MPH at one point.
Francys01
What? Designated for assignment. I can’t believe it. I don’t really understand this move by Zaidi. Phillies come on you need this guy. He will be better than Matt Moore or Vince Velazquez or could be added to the bullpen. Let’s go Phillies.
PeteWard8
15-2 and led the league in ERA in 2016 the year the Cubs won the World Series. Would the Cubs have beaten Toronto that year?
VTGiant
Uh, no, he won’t
Nothing
The Jays were the best team in the league in 15 and arguably 16 (only team close was the Cubs) but the playoffs are all about who’s hot at the right time, so no way of knowing.
4thinfsgt 2
I agree.
Faith in the Padres
Padres. Low risk option.
Deleted_User
LOL
DarkSide830
Dombro get him!
rennick
At some point I gotta figure he’s a bullpen arm that can go multiple innings. The Phillies could use a guy like that to come into the game after Ranger.
jgoody62
If he was looked at as a bullpen weapon and not a starter, all contenders should consider placing a claim.
gmenfan
He reportedly sees himself as a starter and didn’t want to take a bullpen assignment.
Grade_1_teacher
I saw that too. He needs to get over himself. The bullpen or the knuckleball at this point.
Monkey’s Uncle
If that’s true that not only explains the DFA, it justifies it. The Giants rightfully shouldn’t want to put up with that kind of attitude right now.
foppert
Ok. Now it makes sense. Lack of selfishness is a Giant prerequisite. Good luck to Sanchez. We move on.
rennick
Does he really get a choice? Perhaps it is my own ignorance on the inner workings of a clubhouse, but I always figured guys played the role they were told regardless of how they felt. I mean, sure they can grumble and grouse, but at the end of the day the manager makes call. Again, as someone who has never been a professional athlete, I can’t speak with any knowledge of how these things work. I could be totally wrong.
PutPeteRoseInTheHall
Why
xtraflamy
The bullpen needs rest, especially on the back end, and a roster crunch. All 3 of Garcia, Rogers and McGee worked 3 days in a row. McGee was supposed to get the night off last night and had to work because of extra innings in an all-bullpen game.
They probably don’t have the luxury of roster space to afford the time to stretch Sanchez out to starter’s length, and he’s been wobbly in short innings.
AMATO
Come back to Toronto !
junkmale
Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking.
Ted
Me too except he doesn’t want to pitch in the pen and the Jays have better starters. His arm isn’t what it was in 2015 though. He’s a shell of that pitcher now.
jaydizzy
Love to see him back in Toronto, even if he’s a different type of pitcher now. Low risk, high upside.
its_happening
Jays should consider it.
hersch
Why? He’s finished
amk1920
Wouldn’t shock me in the least if Sanchez ends up with the Padres or Dodgers
TalkSomeSense
Sanchez and his agent need to stop being stubborn and acknowledge his starting days are over. He could still have a really good career as a high leverage reliever but it has to sink in.
PapiElf
He was a reliever at the start of his career in Toronto so at least he has experience. The only thing is that in SF, he’s been starting games in 2-3 inning stints and his velocity is still in the mid-80s, which won’t work in the bullpen. His velocity is unlikely to tick up if he shifts to the bullpen since he’s already making short appearances.
davemlaw
He looked OK in his start last night but only pitching a few innings wont cut it.
I think the Mets pick him up, they need all the help they can get.
scottn59c
He looked pretty vulnerable in last night’s start – put a ton of runners on base.
Pete'sView
I think anyone who has watched Sanchez recently realizes that his best days are over. He’s no longer a starter—maybe not even a long reliever. The Giants are far too deep and have little roster space for Sanchez; I wasn’t surprised at the DFA. But someone will pick him up.
Aoe3
Would love for Toronto to give him a shot.
Grade_1_teacher
No way.
Dumpster Divin Theo
Jose.
Grade_1_teacher
Sanchez, despite all his talent, has been sapped of all his velocity by the injuries and blisters. The only way I see him continuing to be a viable major league pitcher is he either needs to finally accept a bullpen role or learn how to throw a knuckleball.
its_happening
Sanchez is probably better than the 8th best bullpen arm on the Jays which effectively improves the club. If you are looking for a way into the postseason you consider ways to improve it.
44McCovey
Some of the local SF guys on the radio say that he still wants to start. He might be more effective out of the bullpen? He got through only two innings last night. On a separate note, Brewers pitching is for real! These last two games have been playoff like.
walter8706
Rays can give him a shot too.
JimmyTheC
That’s about the only place I could see his being an opener, I mean starter.
QueerAthlete22
San Francisco, SF, The City. NEVER San Fran or Frisco.
DarkSide830
doesnt “The City” sound a touch high-and-mighty? San Fran is a shortening. no one bats an eye at other shortenings like “LA” or “Philly.”
xtraflamy
It’s an historical thing, since the 19th century when folks were trying to clean up the rep of the city and make it classy and cosmopolitan.
“Caress each Spanish syllable, salute our Italian saint. Don’t say Frisco and don’t say San-Fran-Cis-Co, that’s the way Easterners, like Larry King, pronounce it. It’s more like SanfranSISco.”
Herb Caen, San Francisco Chronicle columnist
“Don’t Call it Frisco” 1953 book
From the fun discussion here: thebolditalic.com/amp/p/5c14348d49c
There has almost always been a debate, which has often been reported to be a division of the working class and wealthy.
I can’t say I universally agree with that conclusion, though. I have never and would never call my city “Frisco” and I grew up working class in mixed race neighborhoods in San Francisco. In my experience the “Frisco” users were mostly in the local biker and low rider communities…or tourists.
All that said, I love “Sitting by the Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding. It’s with love and admiration that he sings the song. Maybe, as with most things, it’s about whether you have the rights of an insider to use a nickname?
Dennis Boyd
There’s only one ‘city’ and it sure ain’t SF.
Pete'sView
I’m glad to hear you’ve been anointed King.
jints1
Sad to see Sanchez DFAed but he didn’t show much since he returned. Questionable who will be 5th starter. Intrigued by Chatwood and Shoemaker. Always thought Shoemaker could be good.
firegibby
Chatwood can’t find the plate
VTGiant
I don’t think Brebbia is the answer out of the pen. He has pretty much stunk it up.
Cueto better go at least 6 innings today. Giants BP needs a good chunk from a starter.
Dustyslambchops23
Time to commit to a bullpen role Aaron.
He excelled in that role in Toronto, could be a really good back of the pen option for a team
firegibby
Mets should get him since they love ex Jay’s players.
scottn59c
I was a little surprised they cut bait so fast after waiting all that time with Sanchez on the IL. But I can’t blame the Giants for DFAing him – he can’t pitch deep into games, and his velocity is too low to be a reliever.
This sheds a little light on why the Giants picked up Shoemaker and Chatwood, though. They are still minors depth, but they might be closer to appearing than they initially appeared.
jessaumodesto
Kind of looks like an starving Will Clark
jimmertee
Sanchez delivery puts too much torque on his arm and hand. I was only a matter of time before his arm/ hand gave out. I called this since his first year.
His agent is Scott Boras who makes all kinds of noise in the background about keeping him a starter. Sanchez has a bad attitude as well.
Guests, the Jays shouldn’t have anything to do with him.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Red Sox?
Captain Dunsel
It’s karma. Aaron Sanchez got Chopped.
gbs42
John Mozeliak, call Sanchez’s agent and bring him to St. Louis.
Wilmer the Thrillmer
Whatever happened to the phantom 97-98 mph Sanchez supposedly hit in his showcase before the Giants signed him. He sat at 88-90 the entire season with his usual blister issues. Still a 3.06 ERA, someone will claim him. This move speaks to the Giants roster crunch. So far theyve DFA’d Matt Wisler (lights out for Tampa Bay), James Sherfy (now with the Dodgers), Nick Tropeano (1.50 ERA for the Giants) Conor Menez who was really good this year but passed through waivers and now Sanchez. Tough deciscions but when people come off the 60 day IL somebody has to go.
xf0rthebetterx
Get him into the Rays bullpen
RogerForTheHall
Did he clear waivers?