SF Giants among 7 teams to scout recent bullpen session for veteran reliever

Championship Series - New York Yankees v Houston Astros - Game One
Championship Series - New York Yankees v Houston Astros - Game One | Bob Levey/GettyImages

The SF Giants are likely to return many of the same relievers who finished last season in the bullpen. However, they could still look to add to that group as they were among the seven teams to scout a recent bullpen session from veteran Lou Trivino, per Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated.

SF Giants among 7 teams to scout recent bullpen session for veteran reliever

Ragazzo lists the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas City Royals as the other attendees. Those who watched Trivino's bullpen came away impressed as he reportedly got his sinker up to 94 MPH.

Trivino had carved out a nice role as a leverage reliever before injuries derailed his career. He posted a 3.86 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, 2.30 SO/W rate, and 47.4 percent ground ball rate in five seasons with the Oakland A's and New York Yankees.

This includes a solid 2021 season in which he tallied a 3.18 ERA with 22 saves across 73.1 frames with Oakland. Trivino was shipped to the Yankees along with Frankie Montas in a six-player deal in the following season.

The 33-year-old pitcher underwent Tommy John surgery early in the 2023 season and has not returned to the majors since then. He continued to deal with inflammation, limiting him to 11 rehab appearances in 2024 before being shut down for good following shoulder discomfort.

The Yankees held a $5 million team option for 2025 that they declined, thereby making him a free agent.

When Trivino is healthy, he gets a healthy number of ground balls and strikeouts while displaying below-average command. He has a starter's pitch mix as he mixes in similar pitches with different looks. On the mound, he relies primarily on a mid-90's fastball with a slider, both of which are tough on opposing hitters.

The Giants have Ryan Walker slated as the team's closer and they are hoping for a bounceback season from Camilo Doval. If Doval is effective again, he could share some leverage innings with Tyler Rogers but it would not hurt to have another option in the mix.

Trivino has a natural connection to the Giants as he spent his first five seasons in the majors with Oakland while Bob Melvin was the skipper. Those connections do not always lead to a deal but it does open the door for a conversation.

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