For the second time in the last 24 hours, the Giants are bolstering their minor-league depth with a veteran signing.
The Giants agreed to terms with 35-year-old outfielder Chris Denorfia, as first reported by Robert Murray of Baseball Essential. Denorfia never signed with a big league team this season, but appeared in 103 games with the Cubs last year. He scattered 15 extra-base hits with Chicago and hit .269 across his 212 at-bats. Denorfia joins Travis Ishikawa as the latest veteran to come aboard with the Giants in the last day.
Denorfia will supplement a thin group of outfielders in Triple-A Sacramento, a group left hollow with the call-ups of Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson. The Giants are familiar with Denorfia, who spent parts of five seasons with the Padres from 2010-14. In 32 games, he’s a career .311 hitter at AT&T Park. He could bring balance to a Giants roster dominated by left-handed hitters, and has significant experience at both corner outfield spots, where the Giants remain thin currently without Hunter Pence and Angel Pagan.
Pence had hamstring surgery on Thursday, and is expected to be out until early August. Pagan is expected to begin a rehab assignment in a few days.