Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
SCOTTSDALE — In just about all avenues apart from the starting rotation, the Giants have valued depth over ceiling, trying to stockpile as many options as possible in hopes that at least a few emerge.
What this has done has ensured the Triple-A Sacramento bullpen will be stacked.
The Giants added another major league arm Saturday, signing veteran lefty Jose Alvarez to a one-year deal with a club option for 2022 that essentially guarantees him $1.25 million. The option for next season is worth $1.5 million.
Jordan Humphreys, who recently was claimed from Cleveland, was lost for a second time — picked up by San Diego — as the corresponding roster move.
Alvarez is an established pitcher who has not had a poor season since his rookie year. He’s been consistent from 2015-20 with the Angels and (Gabe Kapler’s) Phillies, posting a 3.32 ERA in 301 1/3 innings.
His best season was 2018 (2.71 ERA), but his 2020 is the concern. Alvarez was dealing, having allowed one run in 6 1/3 innings, before he was hit in the groin by a comebacker on Aug. 20, which ended his season.
Guaranteeing the 31-year-old, who has no more options, a major league deal narrows down the bullpen competition. Jake McGee, Matt Wisler, Jarlin Garcia and Alvarez will be on the Opening Day roster because otherwise they would be lost. Dedniel Nunez, who has impressed, is likely to be in the pen, too, as the Rule 5 pick must stay on the roster all season to become fully a Giant. There likely will be a sixth starter or swing man in the mix, which is a competition among Scott Kazmir, Nick Tropeano, Shun Yamaguchi and Conner Menez.
That does not leave many spots available on a 26-man roster. There might be two spots open in a competition that includes the rostered Reyes Moronta, Wandy Peralta, Tyler Rogers, Sam Selman and nonrostered Anthony Banda, Silvino Bracho, Tyler Cyr, Trevor Gott, Jay Jackson, Yunior Marte, Jimmie Sherfy and Sam Wolff.
Meanwhile, John Brebbia, an established righty, is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and should be back around midseason.
The Giants are deep in a season when it will pay to be deep, with so much uncertainty about how pitchers will bounce back after the shortened season. And they are deep ahead of a trade deadline that could mirror 2019’s, when they offloaded plenty of weapons in part because they wanted to see the others in the system.
