With Giants left fielders going hitless in the club’s first five games, general manager Bobby Evans is wasting no time trying to expand his options.
The Giants have agreed to a minor-league deal with longtime Blue Jays outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. sources have told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Upton Jr. will begin his tenure with the club’s Triple-A affiliate Sacramento River Cats.
Melvin Upton Jr. is signing with the Giants, according to source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) April 8, 2017
Melvin Upton Jr’s deal with SF Giants will be a minor-league deal and he’s expected to report to Triple-A.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) April 8, 2017
Upton Jr., 32, is the second veteran outfielder the Giants’ have added over the past few days, also signing Draw Stubbs to a minor-league deal on Thursday. The Giants were not interested in Upton Jr. when he was released by Toronto at the conclusion of spring training, but have changed their tune after Giants’ left fielders Jarrett Parker and Chris Marrero went 0-for-20 with 10 strikeouts to open the season.
Upton Jr. hit 238/.291/.402 with 20 home runs and 155 strikeouts last season for the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays, and is sill known as a solid defensive outfielder that can be moved around to any OF position. Upton is also a capable base stealer, stealing 27 last season, and has stolen an average of 33 per season during his 12-year career.
Both Upton Jr. and Stubbs will help shore up the Giants’ thin depth in the outfield, that has been exacerbated by a number of injuries to their reinforcements. Mac Williamson is on the 10-day disabled list with a quadriceps strain, Michael Morse still is without a timetable for return as he recovers from a hamstring injury and Steven Duggar remains out with a flexor strain in his arm.