SF Giants: Intriguing Bullpen Target Hits Waiver Wire

The Cleveland Indians made an odd move on Wednesday placing reliever Adam Cimber on waivers, but the righty makes a lot of sense for the SF Giants.

Cleveland made right-handed submariner Adam Cimber available on waivers after designating him for assignment. Interestingly, Cimber was placed on waivers to clear a spot for SF Giants pitcher Jordan Humphreys, who was claimed by Cleveland earlier this week.

Cimber was originally drafted in the ninth round of the 2009 draft by the San Diego Padres out of the University of San Francisco. I am of the opinion that the Padres invent nasty bullpen arms like Cimber in a secret laboratory in Antarctica.

I have not found this laboratory, but I know it exists.

Anyways, I digress.

Cimber debuted with the Padres in 2018 but was traded in a package that brought touted-catching prospect Francisco Mejia to San Diego. Now, Cimber is on the waiver wire before going through arbitration.

In three seasons, the right-handed hurler has registered a 3.89 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 1.284 WHIP with an 18 percent strikeout rate against a 6.6 percent walk rate. While on the surface, these stats do not jump off of the page, Cimber does excel in one area and it has to do with his delivery.

Like Tyler Rogers, Cimber went to the School of Funky Delivery. And, due in part to Cimber’s side-arm delivery, he is a groundball machine. The 30-year-old has induced a ground ball in 56.2 percent of his batted ball events to go along with a solid 2.36 GB/FB ratio. To put it differently, he knows how to get hitters out in ways other than a strikeout.

Oddly, the Indians decided to put the veteran reliever on waivers. He is due for a modest raise from his $563,800 salary in 2020 and would be a very cost-effective addition for the Giants.

San Francisco already has a shortage of right-handed relievers. In 2020, with Rogers and Shaun Anderson being the lone two somewhat reliable right-handed bullpen arms this season. With Reyes Moronta returning in 2021, they will have another righty out of the bullpen, but they could certainly use more depth.

That is where Cimber would fit. He would not become the Giants closer in 2021, but he would be a far more reliable arm than Sam Coonrod, or Trevor Gott. Given Gott’s impending non-tender decision, adding Cimber and using Gott’s roster spot to clear space would make perfect sense.

If no move is too small, then this is one move that the SF Giants should pursue to build up bullpen depth. Adam Cimber would add a legitimate right-handed to a bullpen that lacks trustworthy arms from that side.