New Giants hurler hasn’t pitched in majors since 2016
Scott Kazmir, a three-time AllStar who hasn’t thrown a major league pitch since 2016, is attempting to make an unlikely comeback.
That attempt will come with the Giants.
Kazmir, 37, and the team have agreed to terms on a minor league deal that includes an invitation to major league spring training, making him the latest pitcher to join a crowded staff. ESPN first reported the news.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and general manager Scott Harris have already added major league free agent Aaron Sanchez to the rotation and minor league free agents Shun Yamaguchi and Nick Tropeano to the mix since the start of spring training, so it’s no surprise they’re continuing to pursue depth options.
The surprise is that the Giants’ pursuit of arms led them to Kazmir, who is a few months older than retired Giants pitcher Matt Cain.
Kazmir hasn’t pitched in the majors since making 26 starts for the Dodgers back in 2016, but he hasn’t been out of baseball for long. The lefty spent the 2020 season pitching in the Constellation Energy League, an independent league that operated in Texas that offered opportunities to players who were out of work due to the cancelation of the minor league season.
Kazmir threw 15 innings for the Eastern Reyes del Tigre, compiling a 4.20 ERA with 10 strikeouts.
It’s not clear if the Giants will look at Kazmir as a starter or as a reliever, but if he throws another major league pitch, his unlikely comeback would become quite the story.
“I always really enjoyed Kaz, I loved being around him when we were young players,” former Rays teammate Evan Longoria said. “This is a guy who was a really special talent and he’s got a big league ability to throw the baseball. Obviously my hope for him and for us as a group as a group is that he can rekindle some of that and be a major league pitcher for us.”
Zaidi was the Dodgers’ general manager when Kazmir posted a 4.56 ERA for Los Angeles in the final season of his big league career, so it’s possible their relationship played a role in the lefty’s decision to sign with the Giants.
Kazmir’s three All-Star seasons came in 2006 and 2008 with the Rays and 2014 with the A’s, when he logged 190 1/3 innings, compiled a 3.55 ERA and struck out 164 hitters.
The Houston native threw for scouts in early February and was reportedly up to 92-93 miles per hour with his fastball.