Giants: Reliever Sam Dyson elects free agency with Twins

The San Francisco Giants made the right decision to sell high on Sam Dyson at the trade deadline. Could they buy low to bring him back?

Former San Francisco Giants reliever Sam Dyson is set to miss the entire 2020 season recovering from shoulder surgery.

It’s no big surprise then that the Minnesota Twins decided to outright him off the MLB roster, rather than paying him a projected $6.4 million salary in his final year of arbitration.

On the heels of that decision, Dyson rejected a minor league assignment, opting instead for free agency.

The 31-year-old proved to be a successful reclamation project for the Giants after flaming out in the closer’s role with the Texas Rangers.

He was cut loose in Texas after posting an unsightly 10.80 ERA in 17 appearances to start the 2017 season, and the Giants acquired him in June in exchange for minor league outfielder Hunter Cole.

After pitching well post-trade, he was once again a quality late-inning option in 2018 with a 2.69 ERA and 15 holds in 74 appearances.

It was more of the same to start the 2019 season, with Dyson logging a 2.47 ERA with two saves and 17 holds in 49 appearances before he was traded to the Twins at the deadline in exchange for three prospects.

Unfortunately for the Twins, he was shelled to the tune of a 7.15 ERA in 12 appearances following the trade, before he was shut down for the season with a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery.

That has raised some eyebrows, as La Velle E. Neal lll of the Star Tribune explained:

“The Twins — who sent outfielder Jaylin Davis and righthanders Prelander Berroa and Kai-Wei Teng to San Francisco in the trade — have inquired as to if the Giants or Dyson should have known and/or told them of a possible injury issue, sources have confirmed.”

As for Dyson’s future, teams could pursue him on a back-loaded two-year deal with the idea of waiting out his rehab and benefiting in 2021. Similar contracts have been signed by guys like Drew Smyly, Kendall Graveman and Garrett Richards.

It’s something worth considering for the San Francisco Giants as they continue to search for value in all shapes and sizes.