SF Giants add depth from the left side after reuniting with former 2014 draft pick

The SF Giants added organizational depth from the left side this week. According to the team's transaction log, the Giants have reunited with southpaw pitcher Matt Gage on a minor league deal and assigned him to the Sacramento River Cats.

SF Giants bolster depth from the left side after reuniting with former 2014 draft pick

Gage was originally a 10th-round pick in 2014 by the Giants out of Siena College in Loudonville, New York. He reached as high as Triple-A before being released by the organization midway through the 2018 season.

More often than not, when a minor leaguer is released, it represents the end of the road. The next opportunity does not come, or they continue their career in independent ball. For Gage, this was the next step in a whirlwind of a career that has included stops in 10 different organizations, as well as stints in the Atlantic League and Mexican League.

The left-handed hurler has posted a 3.88 ERA in parts of 10 minor league seasons. This includes a 1.67 ERA in 32.1 innings with the Detroit Tigers' Triple-A affiliate earlier this season. In parts of three major league seasons, he has tallied a 1.42 ERA with 23 strikeouts against 11 walks.

Gage pitched briefly for the Tigers earlier this year, recording six scoreless outings. He was designated for assignment by Detroit at the end of June and cleared waivers. The 32-year-old elected free agency on Tuesday, but his foray into free agency was a brief one.

The addition of the 32-year-old pitcher gives the Giants another potential option from the left side. On the major league roster, Erik Miller has been the primary lefty out of the bullpen, with Joey Lucchesi working in lower-leverage spots.

Miller has pitched to a 1.55 ERA with as many strikeouts (20) as walks (20). While he has done an excellent job at preventing runs, he has pitched through a lot of traffic, and that is a tough spot to continually excel.

On Sacramento's roster, Gage will join a handful of lefty relievers, including Scott Alexander, Antonio Jimenez, and Raymond Burgos. The Giants will likely need to rely on a couple of these options at some point this season.