SF Giants lose 2 minor league pitchers on waivers to the Phillies

The SF Giants have made a flurry of roster moves in recent days including losing a pair of pitchers on waivers to the Philadelphia Phillies. Andrew Vasquez and Luis Ortiz have found a new home for now after both finished the season with the Giants.

SF Giants lose 2 minor league pitchers on waivers to the Phillies

Vasquez was originally selected in the 32nd round of the 2015 draft by the Minnesota Twins out of Wesmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Since then, the left-handed hurler has made brief stops in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, and Phillies organizations.

He came over to San Francisco as a waiver claim from the Phillies in August and now he returns to Philadelphia just a couple of months later. The Giants selected his contract on the final day of the season where he completed two scoreless innings with four strikeouts.

In total, Vasquez has tallied a 7.04 ERA in 15.1 combined frames with the Twins, Dodgers, Blue Jays, and the Giants. He joins a Phillies team that could use some bullpen help even after representing the National League in the World Series, so the young southpaw might have a shot to carve out a role.

On the other hand, Luis Ortiz joins the Phillies after putting together a solid season in the Giants organization. The righty was originally a first-round pick by the Texas Rangers in the 2014 draft and was considered one of the best prospects in baseball at one point, ranking as high as No. 62 according to MLB.Com prior to the 2017 season.

The right-handed pitcher signed as a minor league free agent last winter. He began the year with Sacramento where he recorded a 4.54 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 9.6 K/9, and a 5.54 SO/W ratio in 35 appearances, including four starts.

The 27-year-old pitcher earned a late-season promotion to the Giants and he made a nice impression. In six appearances, Ortiz allowed just one earned run on five hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. He consistently filled up the strike zone, so it felt like he was the type of pitcher that the Giants valued.

However, the Giants had a roster crunch that they needed to address, so Ortiz and Vasquez were a couple of the roster cuts. The Phillies are not as aggressive as the Giants on the waiver wire, so it is possible that both have a chance to stick this offseason.