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San Francisco Giants Select Buddy Kennedy
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- San Francisco Giants Select Buddy Kennedy
(© Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images)
The San Francisco Giants announced Monday that they have selected the contract of infielder Buddy Kennedy . The Giants also selected the contract of Wilken Ramos.
In corresponding moves, the Giants optioned Jesús Rodríguez to Triple-A Sacramento, placed Joel Peguero on the 60-day Injured List, and designated Logan Porter for assignment.
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From an offensive standpoint, Kennedy had been one of the standout bats at the Triple-A level. He posted a .321 batting average with a .424 on-base percentage and a .543 slugging percentage.
This production did not come in a small sample size, either. Kennedy demonstrated a productive bat over 218 plate appearances across 48 games.
What made those numbers particularly impressive was the context of Kennedy's profile as a player. He has generally been regarded more for his defensive ability than his offensive production.
Although Kennedy made an appearance shortly after being called up, it did not come in the field. Instead, he pitched in the eighth inning of the Giants' series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers .
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It was a game in which the Giants' pitching staff struggled enough that manager Tony Vitello turned to Kennedy in an effort to preserve a bullpen that had been taxed in recent games.
The last time Kennedy appeared in the major leagues was last season, when he spent time with the Los Angeles Dodgers , Toronto Blue Jays , and Philadelphia Phillies .
While he did not receive much playing time during those stints, he found himself in a unique situation. Kennedy appeared for both teams that ultimately reached the World Series.
As a result, he was guaranteed to receive a World Series ring regardless of which club won the Fall Classic. That team ultimately ended up being the Dodgers.
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Kennedy has struggled to produce offensively at the major-league level. However, given the Giants' current situation, he should receive an opportunity to prove himself, even if playing time in the infield may be difficult to come by.
His role will likely be that of a depth option, particularly considering the Giants' current roster health. Outside of Harrison Bader , who is on the 10-day Injured List, there are not many injuries that would directly create additional playing time for Kennedy.
Kennedy is also out of minor-league options, which adds another layer to the Giants' decision. If the club wants to remove him from the active roster, then it would have to designate him for assignment rather than option him to Triple-A.
With that in mind, Kennedy should receive an opportunity to showcase his abilities. While he is primarily known for his glove, the Giants will likely give him a chance to demonstrate whether his offensive success in Triple-A can translate to the major-league level.
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