The Giants are bringing Buddy Kennedy back into the fold.
San Francisco claimed the infielder off waivers from the Mariners, both teams announced. Seattle had designated Kennedy for assignment last week. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Giants also moved left-hander Matt Gage to the 60-day injured list.
It’s a return trip for Kennedy, who had already spent time in the Giants organization this season. The 27-year-old signed a minor league deal with San Francisco in December, then had his contract selected on June 1.
He lasted just eight plate appearances before getting designated for assignment, and was then sent to Seattle for cash considerations. His stint with the Mariners was just as brief, with only 11 plate appearances before the club moved on.
The big-league numbers have been rough all year. Kennedy is hitting .059/.158/.118 in the majors this season.
That small-sample slump fits the broader shape of his career so far. Since making his debut with the Diamondbacks in 2022, Kennedy has hit .167/.260/.259 across 200 plate appearances, production that grades out 52% worse than league average by wRC+.
He’s spent most of that time at second and third base, and his defensive grades have been unremarkable. The bat, though, has been a different story at Triple-A this season.
In 218 plate appearances there, Kennedy has hit .321/.424/.543 with a 152 wRC+, along with matching 12.4% strikeout and walk rates.
That profile is familiar: a Quad-A depth hitter who has been able to mash in the minors without carrying it over to the majors. Kennedy figures to serve that same role for the Giants again, and he could get a few call-ups as the season unfolds.
The timing matters, too. Luis Arraez is likely to be traded before the 5pm Central deadline tomorrow.
Matt Chapman has been on the injured list for a month with an abdominal strain and does not appear close to returning. He is scheduled for another MRI tomorrow, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Casey Schmitt, who has split time between the infield and outfield, is likely done for the year after meniscus surgery.
San Francisco does have Osleivis Basabe and Nate Furman available as backup infielders, but both are young and short on major league experience. Furman has yet to record his first plate appearance. Kennedy gives the Giants another option there, though he’ll need more offense if he wants to stay on the roster through the end of the season.
Because he has been outrighted before, Kennedy would have the right to elect free agency if the Giants designate him for assignment and he clears waivers.
Gage’s move to the 60-day injured list comes after he went on the 15-day IL on July 4 with a left elbow strain. He had already missed two weeks earlier in the year because of right knee inflammation, and he has a 5.60 ERA in 27 1/3 innings around those injuries.
According to the team’s official injury report, Gage received a platelet-rich plasma injection last month and should be re-evaluated soon. He is eligible to return in the first week of September.
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