SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants plan to spend much of this offseason adding players who can give them platoon advantages. They're taking it a step further with their latest addition.
The Giants are close to a deal with ambidextrous reliever Pat Venditte, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area. Venditte, who spent last season in the Dodgers organization, is a switch-pitcher, capable of facing hitters with either arm.
Venditte, 33, broke into the big leagues across the bay, making 26 appearances with the A's in 2015. After stints with the Blue Jays and Mariners, he spent the 2018 season with the Dodgers, where Farhan Zaidi was the general manager, getting called up from Triple-A eight times and posting a 2.57 ERA in 15 big league appearances. He almost always throws with the arm that gives him a platoon advantage, although he has had more success against lefties, holding them to a .186 average. Venditte has faced 143 batters as a right-handed pitcher and 135 as a left-hander.
Venditte is naturally right-handed but his father taught him to pitch left-handed as a child. His delivery is virtually identical from both sides and he has a custom glove with six finger holes that he can switch to either hand. By rule he must declare which hand he will use before a matchup.
