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Looking back at the 2019 Giants, with an eye toward the future. Previously: Evan Longoria, Joey Rickard, Donovan Solano, Kevin Pillar, Alex Dickerson, Fernando Abad, Stephen Vogt, Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith, Pablo Sandoval.
The shuttle from the minors to majors and back again weighed on Trevor Gott in 2018. The Nationals called him up in mid-June, he threw a scoreless inning and then was sent down to clear a roster spot. A thrill to a rookie — an at-last summons — is draining to someone who’s been there, who just wants to be comfortable.
“There was a pretty quick trigger [with Washington] whenever I did get called up,” Gott said in July, during a breakthrough season after a few frustrating ones. “I’m not going to lie: I lost some confidence in the last two or three years.”
Those days are just about over for the 27-year-old, who was one of the more reliable options out of the Giants’ bullpen last season and the owner of no more options. Farhan Zaidi so covets the malleable pitchers who can be used heavily for a few days in the big leagues then bounce to Triple-A Sacramento to get a fresh arm up. Gott is no longer in that bin, and if he gets moved it would be through trade or DFA. Which also means that if he starts struggling, as he did in late August this season, a Giants bullpen with so many pieces (though so few sure things) may have to move on.
Whatever’s Gott’s future with the team holds, he’s already a significant discovery by Zaidi. Gott had a solid 2015 with the Angels then was traded to Washington, where he struggled through injury and ineffectiveness and the dreaded fringe-roster-member uncertainty until February, when the Giants paid peanuts (well, cash) for a flier out of their bullpen who worked out.
A heavy sinker pitcher in past years practically ditched the offering with the Giants, going with a four-seamer instead of a two-seamer. (He threw the four-seam fastball 66.7 percent of his pitches in 2019, up from 21.9 the year prior). Sinkers can fall right into the path of the 2019, lofted launch-angle swings. His fastball dropped off a touch — from an average of 94.9 mph to 94.7 — but he avoided more bats and emerged as one of Bruce Bochy’s trusted few for much of the season.
But not all of it. He was sidelined in late May/early June with a right forearm strain and had a groin issue that never quite went away until late-season surgery. He also had a right elbow strain that ended his season before September, but neither injury should carry into spring training. Gott finished with a 4.44 ERA with a quality 1.101 WHIP and 57 strikeouts in 52 2/3 innings. His ERA was inflated by a rough final two weeks of August; it sat at 3.44 on Aug. 11.
Tony Watson became the most reliable relief returner when he exercised his option for next season. Until Will Smith decides whether to take his qualifying offer — Thursday is the deadline — Gott is the next most dependable arm for an evolving pen next season, and one that can be used in the late innings.
Though he has no more options, the righty is under team control for 2020, with arbitration not beginning until the following season. Relievers are so finicky, with success fluctuating year to year. The Giants found something in Gott, but could lose him if he takes a step back.
The Giants announced that outfielder Mike Gerber, DFA’d last week, has elected free agency. Reliever Ricardo Pinto, also DFA’d, is heading to the KBO to play for the SK Wyverns.