The Giants have claimed right-handed pitcher Hunter Harvey off waivers from the Orioles, per Robert Murray of FanSided. The promising 26-year-old again dealt with health problems in 2021, pitching just 18 2/3 innings across the Triple-A and Major League levels.
When healthy, the 2013 first-rounder has shown significant promise, posting a 3.42 ERA across 23 2/3 career big-league innings. The hard-throwing righty missed a good deal of the 2021 season, landing on the 60-day IL with an oblique strain ahead of Opening Day, and managed just 8 2/3 innings (in nine appearances) in the bigs after a June return. Harvey’s 2021 line matched matched his 2020 numbers almost exactly, as he pitched to 4.15 ERA in both across the same number of innings. A fixture on mid-2010s top-prospect lists, Harvey apparently ran out of runway in Baltimore, who will likely use his spot on their 40-man roster to protect a prospect otherwise vulnerable to the Rule 5 draft.
Harvey’s own frustrations with his inability to stay healthy are well documented, but San Francisco may have unearthed a gem if they can keep him healthy. Though his minor league numbers are hardly sparkling, Harvey’s upper-90s fastball and solid command (3.1 BB/9 across all levels) could still play in the bullpen. As Harvey is still a year away from arbitration eligibility, the move represents a pure upside play for the Giants, who already boasted an MLB-best 2.99 bullpen ERA in 2021. Should he prove himself capable of avoiding the IL, there’s no reason he can’t contribute in 2022.
Steal
Really solid claim, high potential and has had success in the MLB. Good add to the pen
Sure, if he can stay healthy, which he has not been able to.
Once Gabe Kapler slathers him in coconut oil, his ‘always injured’ tag will be history.
@lefebvre pitch guy It is really creepy that you are focusing on coconut oil. There has got to be a lot of restraining orders taken out against you. It is just to weird that you focus on something like that.
Coconut oil lol you mean steroid cream. Kapler’s a juice head from way back.
23 innings pitched across 3 seasons is a bit of a small sample size to be saying he has had success at the MLB level.
I agree, but he has done well in that limited time
Beats 23 innings of getting your ass beat up!
Best salad in the show. Was really pulling for him to make it with the Orioles. I like this move though for San Fran. Hope the best for him
Are we sure Hunter Harvey isn’t just Tim Lincecum with a mustache?
No, it’s a disguised Jeff simardzjaa. Maybe they claimed the wrong Harvey.
Hey@citizen, ever hear of Google?
Future closer for SFG, 30+ saves next season. Book it
Camilo Doval will be given first crack at the closer role.
Over McGee and Rogers? Though in the end, I guess it’s a really good thing to have three guys you could slot into the 9th inning.
Rogers will never be in serious consideration for the closer role IMO because of how valuable he is to bring in on a consistent basis regardless of save situations. Led the league in a appearances and Kapler has stressed that his throwing motion allows him to be more aggressive with pitching Rogers on low rest (less strain on the arm)
You don’t see that kind of usage with closers in the regular season
Makes sense. Leave him in just in a high-leverage role with no specific inning attached to it.
120 innings of sub 3 ERA baseball guaranteed now.
Where’s Hunter?
2022 All-star game for Hunter– Book it!
Giants know how to work with majority of Oriole cast offs
Future trivia who replaced Posey on the 40 man?
Sounds like another prospect they let go to the Giants
Guaranteed to be in Cy contention, now that he’ll actually try.
How are these players on waivers if they’re on the 40?
they go on outright waivers. If they go unclaimed, they get removed from the 40
When a team (Baltimore) tries to outright a player (i.e. remove him from the 40-man roster) he gets placed on waivers, which gives another team an opportunity to keep that player on their 40-man roster (San Fran). Waiver claim priority is in order of worst-to-best record, but another team can trade for the player instead to get first crack at him if it’s that important. What we saw here was every other team passing on keeping Harvey, since the Giants had the best record.
Great point
Thanks
Love how Baltimore has become SF’s personal farm system. I look forward to Hunter winning a Cy Young next year.
The Giants have two former Orioles. Good job.
Sad really. Spent 8 years in org and only 23 innings to speak of. They needed the room for the rule 5 draft. Need to protect guys that can stay healthy.
This news has really made my day. Harvey could never stay healthy for whatever reason. I am glad the Orioles are moving on and I wish Harvey all the best.
My guess is it wasn’t really the Orioles moving on. I’m thinking it was a numbers issue, he was lowest in the pecking order, and they hoped he would clear waivers so they could outright him to AAA.
Like the move. I guess he goes on the 40 man roster. Another prospect exposed to Rule 5.
If I’m SFG, I now put him thru waivers again with the expectation that every team will pass on him again. Now I can outright him to the minors, and still have that 40 man spot.
Who are the Giants exposing to Rule 5? The majority of their farm system is to young for that.
Cy Young winner, book it
How, ON EARTH, do the Phillies not make a claim here?
I find it hard to believe the horrible Orioles have 40 players more talented/worth keeping than Harvey. I know he can’t stay healthy but it’s not like the Orioles are filled with lots of depth and talent.
Probably won’t make much of a difference but bad teams are always bad at maximizing value around the margins.
Yeah. It’s hard to believe that the top ranked farm system in baseball has anyone to protect, rather than keeping a guy that can’t stay out of the infirmary.
They have like nine players to protect from Rule 5
The last part about bad teams are bad around the margins is yet another reason why salary caps are bad. Bad teams stay bad.
Giants are getting an Apex Underachiever….
For their sake I hope this turns out for the Giants—a franchise that I hold in highly regard.
Hunter Harvey, not so much….
And the Band Plays on…