SF’s depth doesn’t bode well for Solano
Two years after Donovan Solano wrapped up his second consecutive season as a part-time Triple-A infielder, the Barranquilla, Colombia, native received an unexpected honor.
A month after Solano’s Giants fell one win shy of a playoff berth, the player teammates call “Donnie Barrels” learned he won the National League Silver Slugger Award at second base.
“I saw the numbers from Robinson Canó and thought it was going to be a little bit difficult to win it,” Solano said through Spanish language translator Erwin Higueros. “I was surprised that I won.”
The award, given annually to the best offensive player at each posi
tion, was hardly on Solano’s radar through a professional career that dates all the way back to 2005, when he played rookie ball in the Cardinals’ organization.
Solano made his major league debut in 2012 and spent parts of four seasons as a glove-first infielder with the Marlins before he had a nine-game cameo with the Yankees in 2016. After playing
in 99 games with New York’s Triple-A affiliate in 2017 and 81 games with the Dodgers’ Triple-A club the following season, Solano didn’t appear to be on the brink of a breakout in the majors.
Yet that’s exactly what happened in San Francisco.
After following Farhan Zaidi from the Dodgers to the Giants on a minor league deal, Solano batted .330 with a stunning .815 OPS in 228 plate appearances in 2019.
Much of the league brushed Solano’s offensive
numbers off as a fluke from a player who had a career OPS+ of 76 before arriving at Oracle Park, but in 2020 Solano proved everyone wrong.
What’s next for the 33-year-old infielder enjoying a late career renaissance?
“I want to hit more home runs,” Solano said Wednesday.
After hitting just three in 2020, Solano should have a good chance to surpass that total now that the Giants are scheduled to play 162 games.