The San Francisco Giants have been methodically trimming their roster as Spring Training winds down, a process slightly delayed this year due to a new coaching staff and the World Baseball Classic. But once they got rolling with the cuts, they didn’t hold back.
On Tuesday, the Giants announced their fourth wave of roster reductions, just eight days before the season opener. This round saw right-handed pitcher Blade Tidwell optioned to AAA Sacramento, while first baseman Jake Holton was reassigned to Minor League camp. The difference in terminology here is simple: Tidwell is on the 40-man roster, whereas Holton is not.
Tidwell, acquired in the Tyler Rogers trade last year, made an impression in his first Spring Training with the Giants. Despite a rough go with a 9.45 ERA over 6.2 innings in five appearances, his fastball was electric, flirting with triple digits and racking up 13 strikeouts.
However, his control was an issue, walking six batters. Tidwell also pitched in an exhibition against Team USA, where he showed flashes of brilliance despite giving up five earned runs in 2.2 innings, striking out notable names like Roman Anthony and Gunnar Henderson.
He’ll begin the season in Sacramento’s rotation, alongside other promising arms. It’s likely we’ll see Tidwell in San Francisco this year, potentially stepping into the rotation or serving as a high-leverage reliever with his blazing fastball.
Interestingly, Tidwell is the first player optioned this spring, highlighting ongoing camp battles and the complexity of managing a roster with limited options.
As for Holton, he saw plenty of action as a non-roster invitee, appearing in 19 games with 37 plate appearances. His performance was modest, hitting 7-34 with two extra-base hits, seven strikeouts, and one walk, resulting in a .680 OPS and a 71 wRC+. Holton, who has spent recent years in AA with the Detroit Tigers, is poised to start this season in AAA, providing depth much like Trenton Brooks did a couple of years ago.
The Giants began camp with 19 non-roster invitees and have now reduced that number to 10, while also adding Joey Lucchesi. With Tidwell’s move, the roster stands at 49 players, meaning 23 more cuts or IL placements are needed before next Wednesday.
