The Giants are signing Jake Lamb to a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The CAA client gets an invitation to big league camp. He’d earn a $1MM base salary if he makes the MLB roster.
Lamb spent the 2024 season in Triple-A as a member of the Pittsburgh organization. He tallied 414 plate appearances and had a roughly average .264/.350/.393 line with seven home runs. It was a step down from his minor league production from the preceding season. Lamb had combined for a .289/.420/.454 slash in 85 Triple-A contests between the Yankees and Angels two years ago. He earned a brief MLB call from the Halos, appearing in 19 games.
Last season was the first since 2013 in which Lamb did not get to the majors. He’s best known for his early-career run as an everyday third baseman in Arizona. Lamb was an All-Star in 2017 and combined for 59 homers between 2016-17. He hasn’t reached 250 big league plate appearances in a season since then. The lefty batter has appeared for seven different clubs going back to 2018. He has a .205/.306/.359 slash in nearly 900 trips to the plate over that time.
As he enters his age-34 season, Lamb has mostly moved off the hot corner. He didn’t play third base at all last season. He spent most of his time at first base or designated hitter and made a handful of starts in right field. He’ll vie for a spot on the San Francisco bench. The Giants have lefty-swinging LaMonte Wade Jr. penciled in at first base. They don’t have a set answer at designated hitter. Lamb hasn’t hit enough in recent seasons to play there regularly, but he could play his way into a rotational role with a strong showing in camp and/or at Triple-A Sacramento.
What f***ing year do the Giants think it is? Verlander, Lamb, interest in Lou Trivino, etc
We had a leg up on signing Lamb, Buster said sheepishly.
Giants are likely slated to finish fourth in the division, they can’t pull the wool over our eyes.
Dodgers legend Jake Lamb
Gee whiz! I sure was hoping the Cardinals would sign him to replace Arenado’s production in the lineup at a reasonable price. Not sure what they’re doing, but I don’t like it!
Gee whiz rowdy racks
Makes no sense, even as a AAA depth piece.
Anyone on a minor league deal makes sense.
No, it doesn’t. You want the right depth in AAA and just signing anyone isn’t going to build a AAA well. Ideally, you want guys coming up through the farm in AAA, with a sprinkling of veterans signed to mix in. I’d like to say this move is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle but that wouldn’t even be true. I would guess the Giants want someone to mentor Eldridge in spring training.
Obviously if you scout and develop successfully you don’t need scrubs like this. Still you can do it. Because if they stink they don’t get far enough to become depth they are simply released.
Reports are that they’ve hired JT Snow to mentor Bryce. They also have Will Clark working with the minor leaguers. Couple of pretty good mentors.
Dream, normally I would agree with you, but I don’t see the value or the need for a 34 yr, old 1B/DH who has been out of the league based on a couple of good years a decade ago. All this does is take AB’s away from younger players.
Or a veteran for young players to learn from. A guy who can go to the back fields. Go on the road trips. There’s a lot of garbage time in spring training. And if Lamb is garbage and they have young players who he is truly blocking they simply fire him. There really isn’t any downside here and every team does this.
In like a Lamb.
That’s what he told Mrs Lamb on their wedding night
Jake Lamb, Nick Ahmed last year. Let’s get the whole crew. I’m sure AJ Pollock isn’t busy these days. Patrick Corbin is still a FA.
SF already had Pollock in 2023!
Mary had a little lamb
She kept in her backyard
–Andrew Dice Clay–
Hickory Dickory Dock…
Whoa!
Maybe they have some mint jelly sitting around ?
There is really no other use for it.
The Giants have relief pitcher Sean Hjelle (pronounced Jelly)
True that.
But is he minty ?
I don’t know. What he does behind closed doors is his business.
All I know is he definitely bumps his head regularly on standard 6’8” doorframes.
He was a decent high school basketball player. It’s interesting that he went to Kentucky to play baseball, not basketball. One of his school coaches told John Calipari about him, but Hjelle wasn’t interested in joining the team.
He looked really good last year.
I think he made the right decision.
Hopefully continues his success this season.
For sure. I think he can be a high-caliber reliever. He’ll be 28 in May. That entire pitching staff has a chance to be solid. Pitching and defense. They just need to score enough runs.
Hence the battery of PB (Patrick Bailey) and Hjelle.
@John Bird
What are your thoughts on Luciano? Can he be a significant bat in the lineup? If so, what position should he play?
Almost as good as Black & Decker back in the day…
Or when the first-year Royals had a battery of Roger Nelson and Fran Healy. As a kid, I likened it to I Dream of Jeannie’s Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) and Roger Healey (Bill Dailey).
@oldgfan
What are your thoughts on Marco Luciano’s potential impact?
I’ll play.
I think he should go to AAA and play LF. If he lights it up and can play the position well by the trade deadline, then look to move Yaz. If not give him the full year. Hopefully by 2026 he should be ready to start in the majors. Keeping the tradition alive as the new LF. Move Ramos to RF, and let Yaz move on.
Kabong, I think he can be but it’s going to take some time and a lot of work. He was horribly mismanaged by the Zaidi FO who tried to make him into someone he isn’t. But he’s still young and with the right coaching hopefully he can still develop into a quality major leaguer. Seeing how Ramos overcame some of the same obstacles gives me hope. As to position looks like they see him as an outfielder for now and I think that’s probably the best fit. He’s got the arm to play RF so maybe he replaces Yaz at some point.
John, Totally agree on your points.
Marco needs steady play & at bats.
He’s not ready for a DH spot or 4th outfielder. I’m still thinking SFG will grab HSK for 2B moving Fitz to utility when rehabbed. It fits with the defensive focus that Buster has. Really looking forward to more speed on the bases that will also come in to play moving forward.
Iv said this before and I’ll say it again. Jake Lamb has got to be the best player to sell themsevles so consistently to teams off one good year in his whole career. Guys like Mike Foltynewics and David Dahl pale in comparison
Pittsburgh should of brought him up last year.
Why? He was as bad at Triple-A than Rowdy Tellez was in the Major Leagues.
Best of luck Jake. Was a good dude here and had one incredible moment. Pinch hit bomb in the 9th.
Looked like a kid with a real good attitude in Arizona. Great smile. Unfortunately the shoulder injury completely ruined his career or so it seems.
I like his brother Mike Lamb better…..
It’s Lamb Man! Son of sheep, friend of goat.
Giants are going to be like lamb heading to the slaughter.
If you’re the G’s, like Posey said, just do what you’re doing. But there has to be some reaction within the Org counterpoint to the D’s. Offensively speaking I guess they’re hoping big things for Eldridge. Ok that’s one. Catcher needs more offensive. But for now it will work. Injuries have played a major role the last few years, So players that actually play is huge as a step there. Young pitching that can go 180-200 innings is another huge step. Perhaps a real Cy Young candidate there. And with health will come better defense, at least on paper. The right players will be playing more, None of this extreme switch stuff under Farhan. And Competitive nature plays huge within the Org as well. You can certainly squeeze out some wins with a youthful energetic approach during the season.
Changing the culture takes time. Sure Alonso, Flarety, Buy them all. But ownership doesn’t want to do that. So Posey will do what he can. And get some picks along the way. Timeline. I’d say a few seasons for sure.
Lamb doesn’t move the needle for the Giants. He’s just a backup plan & possible bench piece if he gets off to a hot & consistent start. Def not a “wow” player just “ho hum”
Lamb has not been relevant since 2017. This screams roster filler, maybe trying to push Wade to hit for more power
Or maybe a favor for an agent.
So, I see the official stats, but what is this guy’s weight in the picture shown?
Mariners Legend Jake Lamb finds a new home