GIANTS PART WITH VETERAN OUTFIELDER
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants envisioned Hunter Pence as a middleof-the-lineup force against left-handed pitchers, giving the,team a much-needed source of power in 2020.
Those plans never came to fruition. Pence was designated for assignment Sunday after the Giants acquired infielder Daniel Robertson from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations.
“The most difficult part of the job is telling a meaningful member of the Giants family that he’s not going to be on our roster going forward,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “A very difficult conversation last night, Hunter has meant so much to the Giants, to this community and this team as well.”
Pence, 37, had only five hits in 52 at-bats (.096) for the Giants this season. He also had two recent misplays in the outfield.
In a 7-6 loss to the A’s on Aug. 15, Pence misjudged a routine flyball in rightfield, turning it into a double that extended an already difficult inning for pitcher Trevor Gott. A week earlier, while playing left field against the Dodgers, Pence lost a routine flyball in the lights, ending Johnny Cueto’s no-hit bid in the sixth inning.
Pence’s career appeared to be finished when the Giants let him go after a rough 2018 season. But he committed to overhauling his swing and played winter ball in the Dominican Republic in an effort to get another shot in the majors. That shot came with the Texas Rangers, for whom he hit 18 home runs in 83 games and made the All Star team.
Pence made his greatest impact with the Giants under previous executives Brian Sabean and Bobby Evans, but it was their suc
cessor, Farhan Zaidi, who elected to bring Pence back to the organization this spring. Pence, a favorite of previous manager Bruce Bochy, quickly won over Bochy’s successor. Kapler regularly praised Pence for the way he handled his struggles and the tone he set with his leadership in the clubhouse.
Giants fans will remember Pence for his contributions to the 2012 and 2014 World Series teams and the legendary pregame speeches that earned him the nickname “The Reverend.” As a beloved figure in San Francisco, Pence’s decline at the plate and at the field was equally difficult for teammates and fans to watch because of how much the Giants wanted to see him succeed.
“It’s a loss,” Kapler said. “Last night, he could not have handled that conversation any more professionally. He came with a lot of gratitude, said thank you to everybody in the clubhouse, he came across as super grateful. That’s who Hunter is.”
With Pence off the 28-man major league roster, the Giants reinstated right-handed pitcher Sam Coonrod from the 10-day injured list. Coonrod had a mild lat strain and has pitched well in bullpens and a simulated game of late according to Kapler.
The 40-man roster spot vacated by Pence now belongs to Robertson, who was designated for assignment by the Rays this week only two years after posting a .797 OPS in 87 games in 2018. Robertson is a right-handed hitting infielder with ties to the Bay Area.