SAN FRANCISCO - The man who once looked like the closer of the future is no longer a Giant. Derek Law was designated for assignment Friday morning when the Giants claimed outfielder John Andreoli from the Texas Rangers.
Law broke through with a 2.13 ERA in 61 appearances in 2016 and some in the organization thought the best solution for the bullpen moving forward was to put Law in a high-leverage role. Instead, Mark Melancon was signed to a four-year deal to take over the ninth and Law took a step back the following season. He had a 5.06 ERA in 2017 and it was 7.43 in just seven appearances in 2018, as Law struggled to find the pinpoint command that made him so successful as a rookie and prospect.
Andreoli, 28, joins a group of outfielders with little experience but a huge opportunity. The Giants currently have two open starting spots and nothing locked in on their bench, and Andreoli has a strong minor league track record. He has a .373 career OBP in the minors with 273 stolen bases in eight seasons, and he has started in all three spots.
Drafted in the 17th round by the Cubs in 2011, Andreoli has 61 big league at-bats for the Mariners and Orioles, with a .230/.284/.262 slash line. He spent most of last season in Triple-A, where he posted a .397 on-base percentage and stole 19 bases.
