Beede, Giants’ top pick in 2014, claimed off waivers by Pirates
The San Francisco Giants’ relationship with 2014 firstround draft pick Tyler Beede officially ended Thursday when the Pittsburgh Pirates claimed the right-hander off waivers.
Beede, selected 14th overall in ’14, was designated for assignment May 5 by the Giants when they activated reliever Zack Littell from the COVID-19 list.
With Beede out of options, the Giants included him on their Opening Day roster, but he walked six batters and yielded five runs in 92⁄3 innings over six relief outings, posting a 4.66 ERA.
The Giants couldn’t have optioned Beede, 28, to the minors because he was out of options and would have needed to clear waivers. The rebuilding Pirates hope Beede’s velocity (he was averaging 96 mph) and repertoire will click in their organization, so long as he regains his control.
Beede reached the majors in 2018 and made 22 starts in 2019, but his career was detoured when he required Tommy John surgery in 2020.
“My optimistic personality would say that it’s going to be a great opportunity, regardless of where I end up,” Beede said after he was DFA’d. “There’s no point for me to be pessimistic. I think it’s going to be how I handle the opportunity. The perspective that I have is going to be everything.”
Also Thursday, the Giants sent Mike Ford to the Mariners for cash, meaning the first baseman has gone full circle. Two weeks ago, the Giants acquired Ford from the Mariners for cash. Ford appeared in just one game with the Giants.
Thursday’s transaction came one day after the same two teams orchestrated another trade, the Giants acquiring utilityman Donovan Walton from the Mariners in exchange for pitching prospect Prelander Berroa. To clear space on the 40-man roster, Ford was DFA’d.