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3 former SF Giants failing miserably with their new teams in 2023

By Eric Treuden |
New York Yankees Spring Training
New York Yankees Spring Training / New York Yankees/GettyImages
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Things have not gone according to plan for the 2023 SF Giants. So far, the club has limped to an 18-23 record which puts them fourth in the National League West, above only the Rockies.

3 former SF Giants failing miserably with their new teams in 2023

Newcomers like Mikchael Conforto, Mitch Haniger and Sean Manaea were all expected to play key roles for the team, but instead the entire trio has had difficulties getting going both at the plate and on the mound. However, this does not necessarily mean that holding on to some old friends from the past year or two would have been much better of a choice for the Giants.

As a matter of fact, the vast majority of the departing players (mainly in free agency) have scuffled on their new clubs. Brandon Belt is right on the border of this conversation, but his recent hot streak for the Toronto Blue Jays earns him a pass.

Let's take a look at 3 former SF Giants players who are failing miserably with their new clubs in 2023.

1. Tommy La Stella

Prior to joining the Giants ahead of the 2021 campaign, La Stella had quietly turned himself into a nice ball player, even making the 2019 All-Star Game along the way. Unfortunately, it seemed that his best days were already behind him by the time he made his way to the Bay Area.

In a total of 136 games for the Giants across two years, the versatile infielder hit just nine home runs with 41 RBI, a .245 average and an OPS+ of 86. The decision to let him go was an easy one for the Giants' front office, and his performance in 2023 proves that even more.

La Stella opened the current season as a member of the Seattle Mariners and his bat was, in a word, atrocious. In a total of 12 games, he had four hits in 21 at-bats with a .190 average, .530 OPS and an OPS+ of 53. This was enough for the Mariners to cut bait, as he has already been designated for assignment and released.

Kansas City Royals v Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals v Minnesota Twins / David Berding/GettyImages

3 former SF Giants failing miserably with their new teams in 2023

2. Donovan Solano

Unlike La Stella, Donovan Solano waited until he joined the Giants to put up the best offensive numbers of his career. He had been a weak-hitting utilityman for the Marlins and Yankees for five years before becoming a reliable contributor for the Giants for parts of three seasons.

In 236 games for the club, he hit 14 home runs, drove in 83, had a .308 batting average and a 113 OPS+, posting 4.1 bWAR along the way. After a strong 2021 performance, he became a free agent and turned it into a one-year deal with the Reds. He made 80 uninspring appearances for them last season, posting an OPS+ of 97 (three percent below league-average) and was once again sent to the open market.

Now, Solano finds himself as a member of the Minnesota Twins infield picture. So far, he seems to be reverting back to his pre-Giants days more than anything. At the plate, he has managed to hit just .253 (21-for-83) in 32 games, failing to hit a home run and driving in just five. His OPS has dipped down to .666 and his 88 OPS+ is the lowest he's had in quite some time.

Fortunately for the Twins, he is playing out a cheap deal and can be cut loose without any real financial blows. The fact that he's gradually been declining since leaving the Giants suggests that the club cut bait at exactly the right time.

New York Yankees Spring Training
New York Yankees Spring Training / New York Yankees/GettyImages

3 former SF Giants failing miserably with their new teams in 2023

3. Carlos Rodón

Whew, talk about dodging a bullet with this one.

Rodón had been a promising arm on the White Sox for parts of seven seasons, showing immense potential at times but being plagued with inconsistency and a whole slew of injuries along the way. After a breakout season in 2021, he became a free agent and was brought aboard by the Giants.

Last year, the southpaw was every bit as good on the mound. In 31 starts (the most he's ever made in a season), he went 14-8 with a 2.88 ERA, 2.25 FIP and a 138 ERA+. He finally showed the world what he can do when he's at 100 percent full health. After two consecutive All-Star Game selections and top six finishes in Cy Young voting, he exercised an opt-out clause in his deal and once again hit free agency. This time around, he secured a massive payday from the New York Yankees.

Here we are, just about two months into the 2023 season and Rodón has yet to throw a single pitch for his new club. There is truly no better way to describe it other than, the Giants dodged a bullet big time. At first, it was a forearm strain that sidelined him for a chunk of time, and the latest injury updates are now that he healed from the strain but is dealing with a back injury that's keeping him off the field.

It's tragic that such a powerful arm has to sit on the shelf for a large portion of the season, but injuries have played a large part in his career and, in the early going, the Giants' front office looks like the made the right call in not re-signing the left-handed hurler.

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