The Giants have claimed right-hander Devin Sweet off waivers from the Athletics, per Grant Brisbee of The Athletic.
Sweet, 27, was an undrafted free agent but continued to raise his stock in the minors with good results, largely based on the success of his changeup. In 2023, he started at Double-A in the Mariners’ system and got selected to the big league roster in mid-July. At that point, he had a 1.54 earned run average in 35 innings over 27 appearances. He struck out 34.6% of opponents while walking just 5.9% of them, getting onto the back end of top 30 prospects lists at both Baseball America and FanGraphs.
His first bits of experience at the major league level didn’t go well. He tossed two innings for the Mariners and then 6 2/3 for the A’s after a waiver claim. He allowed a combined 10 earned runs in that time, meaning his career ERA is currently 10.38, though in an obviously tiny sample.
The A’s agreed to a deal with Trevor Gott last week and needed to open a roster spot for him. It appears they tried to pass Sweet through waivers but the Giants swooped in to make an interception, using one of their three roster spots, with this move taking their 40-man count to 38.
Sweet still has a couple of options, so he won’t be guaranteed an active roster spot in San Francisco. He can provide his new club with some roster flexibility as a depth add for their bullpen. He has just 47 days of major league service time, meaning he can be a long-term piece for the Giants as long as he continues to justify his spot on the 40-man.
Sweet!
Sweet moves afoot!
I guess Mr. Sweet has no choice to join the Giants?
The A’s are not making the sweetest decision… But they are in state of total flux too so…
I guess the A’s soured on sweet
Also, they Gott other plans.
He’s currently pitching for Las Aguilas in Dominican Winter Ball
Take that Dodgers! Ehehehe
Giants must like that Sweet 10+ ERA!
Kids got a nasty changeup
Well, he seems to throw it when he wants to give up a HR, so yes, it’s a nasty changeup…
If he could locate it consistently he’d still be a Mariner, for sure
Giants just lost the diabetic fan base.
Zaidi watches the waiver wire at all hours!
@agnes gooch
There’s an app for that. Instant notices on your phone.
For sure York, I just meant he doesn’t sleep on any of transactions.
I guess that’s his only choice, seeing as how signing talented free agents is beyond him.
Oh ted that is such a creative, insightful, thoughtful, unique comment! Wow, I’ve never heard that. Ha ha ha. So tired and ridiculous it’s exhausting.
So Jung Hoo Lee doesn’t count? Tough crowd.
Considering he’s never faced MLB pitching, nor anything close to 100MPH every night, at best all you can say is he’s an unknown.
Yet MLBTR had Lee as the 6th highest rated position player on their top 50 FA list. Every FA signing is a gamble, even those with a track record. I was responding to the accusation that signing talented FAs is beyond Zaidi. Since he was extensively scouted I’d say the consensus is the talent is there.
Jung Hoo Lee will probably be the worst AAA signing in franchise history
Instead of watching waiver wire Zaidi needs to get back to big business & get Yamamoto, Snell, Cease, Imanaga, Chapman & Bellinger. And stay away from Stroman & Anderson – neither are good fits for the Giants.
If those are your expectations you’re going to be disappointed in any and every PBO the Giants might hire after Zaidi. Your list contains 5 of the top 10 FAs, of which 3 have already signed. So you want Zaidi to not only sign 5 of the remaining 7 top 10 FAs. but also trade for one of the top 3 pitching trade target? No team does that, has ever done that, nor ever will do that.
He failed again with Yamamoto
Probably has his popcorn ready lol
Read somewhere he was the team barber in the clubhouse so that’s got to count for something.
Need a few HR bats in that lineup, maybe Alonso?
I wonder if Sweet ever lost that tooth.
Devin Sweet sounds like someone who would have played Punky Brewster’s sidekick.
Farhan huge move again!
Busy Monday
Great addition. This will convince many free agents to sign with SF.
San Fran is like,’we took your city and now we will take your players. In highlander voice “there can only be one” lol
*Queen starts playing*
Is there any way for us civilians to know in real time who gets waived and what the current picking order is? Just curious who passed before the Giants got him.
Hi TellItGoodbye–I don’t know if there is anywhere we can see who gets put on waivers and what teams have passed on them but I think the picking order goes by record during the season and by draft order after the season? I could be totally wrong on this and maybe someone will chime in and correct me. We just had the draft lottery so maybe they are using that now for order of who gets dibs on guys put on waivers.
The Giants do have a transaction page but it isn’t that informational, good to check every so often though, here it is:
mlb.com/giants/roster/transactions
Thanks for the link! I stopped checking that cuz it seems to rarely be updated, but I’ll start to again.
Waiver claims are awarded to the team in reverse order of the standings. Every team that passed on him had a worse record than the Giants. Obviously, no team with a worse record put in a claim, but a team. or teams with a better record might have.
Thanks for the replies. I just wonder if the waiver order is fluid, like since SF just made a claim, are they bumped down for the next time someone’s put on the wire?
TelIItGoodbye, I dont think we get bumped down! Our spot is our spot!
TellItGoodbye, The Giants had the 13th worst record, so they’ll always be 13th in the pecking order until the next season starts. Once the season starts the waiver order can be very fluid with teams going on winning and losing streaks. It does stabilize toward the end of the season though, but can still be somewhat fluid.
Actually the Giants were set to pick 12th, but got bumped back one spot
Thanks for the info!
Thanks Jean, I think TellItGoodbye was hoping there was a live tracker we could all have access to where you can see who gets put on waivers and who rejects, kind of like the stock market. MLB hasn’t allowed that but it would be cool if they did
Agree, it be cool. But teams have a certain amount of time to put in a claim. And at the deadline it goes to the worst record so it would be hard for any kind of live feed thing.
Only 4 homers and 6 walks in 8 2/3! Nice combo piece w Ross Stripling.
That is how you fill up your 40 man.
I thought someone went through my yard waste on garbage night.
“off waivers from” the A’s! The 30w 112L A’s! Zaidi is either a genius or an idiot.
He’s not a genius, so…
Who?
Who needs Yamamoto when you can get Sweet?
(And yes, I realize that is not really an either/or situation)
It was for the Giants, apparently
Oh man, Sweet moving from the A’s to the Giants is like moving from a trailer to a house. Good for him. Hope he does well.