Giants notes: Ex-Athletics standout Trivino set for MLB return

Giants notes: Ex-Athletics standout Trivino set for MLB return originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — This offseason, as Lou Trivino went over his options with family members and his agents, the Giants always looked like a great fit. Trivino came up with the Athletics and spent parts of five seasons across the Bay, where he was in the same dugout as Bob Melvin, Matt Chapman, Ryan Christenson and Matt Williams. 

The Giants made a lot of sense as a spring training home, but Trivino didn’t quite realize what he was signing up for. 

The battle to make the pitching staff was a heated one, with Sean Hjelle, Tristan Beck and Kyle Harrison among those who ended up in Triple-A. The final spots in the bullpen came down to Trivino, Spencer Bivens, Randy Rodriguez and newcomer Joel Peguero, who throws an easy 101 mph and had just about a perfect spring. It appears Rodriguez will get a spot, with Peguero going to Triple-A. 

“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t realize how talented this bullpen was until I got here,” Trivino said Tuesday. “Then I got here and I was like, ‘Jeez, this is going to be a tough task.'”

It all worked out in Trivino’s favor, and on Tuesday he was added to the Giants’ 40-man roster and the big league bullpen. The 33-year-old will pitch in the big leagues for the first time since 2022. The next year, he suffered an elbow strain and ultimately had Tommy John surgery, which cost him the first four months of 2024, too. 

Trivino said he was not surprised to make the Opening Day roster. The goal was to get back to the big leagues, but it still was gratifying news given what he has been through the last two seasons. 

“When it does happen, it’s pretty special,” he said. 

Trivino returned to the mound last August as a New York Yankees minor leaguer but said he never felt right. It was a grind, but this spring he felt like his old self. As a rookie for Melvin in 2018, he posted a 2.92 ERA in 69 appearances. There were ups and downs after that, but he was AL Reliever of the Month in June of 2021 and the next year he had a 1.66 ERA after a midseason trade to the Yankees. 

Trivino sat at 97-98 mph in those early years in Oakland and topped out in triple-digits. He always has thrown five different pitches and at times has gone beyond that, but this spring he was at his best when narrowing his focus. He threw 95-mph sinkers, a hard cutter and a sweeper on Monday, pitching a scoreless inning in what ended up being his final appearance before officially going back on a roster.

Trivino always seemed like a strong bet in the race for bullpen spots, but Melvin said his past history didn’t sway the decision. The Athletics connections helped get him to San Francisco. The rest was done on the mound this spring. 

“Nothing was given to him,” Melvin said. “We had to send some guys down here recently that were part of this team last year. He had to earn it.”

The Other Side

To clear the 40-man roster spot for Trivino, the Giants DFA’d infielder David Villar, who played 109 games in the big leagues the last three seasons. Villar was once the frontrunner at third base, but he couldn’t hold that job and Chapman now has it locked down for years to come. Villar also plays first, but he was behind Wilmer Flores and Jerar Encarnacion all spring. 

At the start of camp, Melvin said he hoped Villar viewed it as a way to audition for other clubs if he didn’t crack the Opening Day roster. He is out of options, so the Giants couldn’t send him back to Triple-A. 

“I hope he gets a big league job and I hope a change of scenery is good for him,” Melvin said. “There’s still talent there, there’s a tremendous amount of power, he can play first and third.”

The Giants still are finalizing their bench, but they have prioritized players who can handle middle infield and outfield spots.

Trainer’s Room

Encarnacion was supposed to have surgery on his fractured finger on Monday, but a travel issue caused a delay. The Giants are hopeful he’ll get it repaired later this week in Los Angeles, and they’ll have a more accurate timetable for his return after the procedure. 

Jung Hoo Lee (back tightness) was in the lineup for a third straight game, clearing a path to start in Cincinnati on Thursday. Elsewhere on the back injury front, catcher Tom Murphy is seeking another opinion after having two epidural shots. He’s in a holding pattern and is a candidate to start the year on the 60-day IL. 

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