SF Giants recall infielder Jason Vosler from Triple-A, DFA Lewis Brinson
The SF Giants recalled infielder Jason Vosler from Triple-A on Wednesday. To clear a spot on the active roster, the Giants designated outfielder Lewis Brinson for assignment. Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle first reported that Vosler would be on the roster earlier in the day.
Vosler has split his time between the Giants and their Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento. While he has been incredibly productive in 23 big-league games this season, hitting .288/.351/.530 with four doubles and four home runs, the Giants have been skeptical of his ability to maintain that production because of some struggles in the upper minors.
While Vosler has a .881 OPS with San Francisco, his triple-slash dropped to .242/.311/.433 at Triple-A in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League environment. Weirdly, Vosler's strikeout and walk rates have also gone in the wrong direction compared to his 2019 and 2021 numbers at Triple-A.
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With that said, Vosler has seemed to get back into an offensive groove over the past few weeks. Since August 31st, Vosler is hitting .302/.323/.524 with four home runs and just an 18.5% strikeout rate with the Sacramento River Cats. He has also been playing in the outfield more frequently at Triple-A this season. He told Slusser during their conversation prior to the game that he's improved his defense on the grass and could be an option for manager Gabe Kapler in left field.
The Giants signed Vosler to a big-league contract following the 2020 season. Vosler had yet to make his MLB debut but had a strong minor-league track record and had just struggled to get an opportunity as a third baseman in the Padres and Cubs' organizations, two teams that had All-Star third basemen at the time.
Since arriving in San Francisco, Vosler has improved his defensive versatility, primarily playing third, second, and first base. Between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, the left-handed hitter has a roughly league average .230/.301/.439 triple-slash in 156 plate appearances with the Giants.
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The Giants acquired Brinson in a trade with the Astros earlier this month for cash considerations. He started his Giants career off with a bang, recording a two-homer game and a lead-off homer in his first week with the team. However, Brinson struggled to maintain that success and racked up 14 strikeouts in 39 plate appearances.
A former first-round pick and top-100 prospect, Brinson still has an intriguing combination of power and athleticism. He is an excellent defensive center fielder and has crushed upper minors competition this season. In 85 games with the Astros Triple-A affiliate, Brinson hit .299/.356/.574 with 22 home runs. This late in the season, it should be unlikely that another team will claim Brinson off waivers. If he goes unclaimed, he could be outrighted to Triple-A and stay in the Giants organization.
The SF Giants will welcome Jason Vosler back to the roster on Wednesday but will say goodbye to a late-season fan favorite in Lewis Brinson. It's worth noting that designating Brinson for assignment creates an open spot on the Giants 40-man roster, so expect a waiver claim or a new promotion in the coming days.
