SF Giants bring back reliever who pitched in 2022, place Dalton Guthrie on waivers

The SF Giants welcomed back a reliever who pitched for them last season. They selected the contract of Mauricio Llovera. To make room on the roster, Dalton Guthrie was designated for assignment and Keaton Winn was optioned according to the team's transaction log.

SF Giants bring back reliever who pitched in 2022, place Dalton Guthrie on waivers

We recently looked at internal options to replace Thairo Estrada while he was on the injured list. Guthrie's name did come up as he has a lot of experience at second base, but his bat leaves a bit to be desired.

Nevertheless, his brief tenure with San Francisco likely comes to an end. Guthrie was acquired just last month in exchange for cash considerations from the Philadelphia Phillies.

Guthrie did not appear with the Giants, but he did play in nine games with Sacramento where he posted a .685 OPS in 42 plate appearances. He has experience at just about every position, so he could be scooped up by another team.

On the other hand, Giants fans are already familiar with Llovera. He recorded a 4.41 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, and a 2.50 SO/W ratio in 17 appearances for the Giants in 2022. He was outrighted off of the 40-man roster in the winter but remained on a minor-league deal.

The right-handed began the year with Sacramento and continues to excel against Triple-A hitters. He tallied a 3.92 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 11.5 K/9, and a 4.00 SO/W ratio in 17 outings for the River Cats. Lloveral flashes a sinker and a four-seam fastball that both sit in the mid-90's that he pairs with a quality slider.

His slider usgae has increased a lot in recent seasons as it is his best-performing pitch. When he is right, Llovera is a good strikethrower who gets a healthy number of swinging strikes.

The Giants did have to option Keaton Winn to Triple-A to make room for Llovera. This could be a temporary move for Winn as he was not expected to start or appear in a bulk innings role in this weekend's three-game series against the Colorado Rockies before the All-Star break.

The rookie pitcher has thrown the ball well, recording a 4.09 ERA with 14 strikeouts against five walks in five appearances with the Giants.