
NASHVILLE — The Giants non-tendered Yusmeiro Petit to increase their flexibility, but they never closed the door on a return. The Washington Nationals slammed it shut, signing Petit to a one-year deal that officially ends Petit’s run in orange and black after four successful seasons.
Petit will get $2.5 million, per the Washington Post, with a club option for 2017 and a $500,000 buyout, meaning he’ll make at least $3 million off the new deal. Petit made $2.1 million in his final season with the Giants and was projected to get about $2.5 million had he been kept by the Giants.
Earlier in the week, manager Bruce Bochy said a guy like Petit is “not easily replaced.”
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“I can't thank him enough for the role that he played for us, long relief, short, always wanted the ball, started, pitched some beautiful games as a starter,” Bochy said. “This is the tough part of the game when you lose somebody like Yusmeiro because he's such a class guy, great teammate. But you have to make moves, unfortunately, and so I wish him nothing but the best.”
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The Giants believe they have several internal candidates to replace Petit, including Chris Heston, who could be shifted to a bullpen role if a second starter is added before spring training. Team officials wouldn’t commit to that job for Heston because they want him preparing as a starter, and he’s currently in Arizona working on adding back all of the 20 or so pounds he lost during the season.
The Giants could also turn to another young pitcher like Clayton Blackburn, Chris Stratton or Ty Blach, or they could stretch former starter George Kontos out a bit so he’s ready for the Petit role. That latter scenario would be a bit of a long shot given Kontos’ success putting fires out in the middle innings last season.
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Petit was more of a true swingman, making 69 relief appearances for the Giants and 21 starts. He had a 3.81 ERA, and in a sign of how versatile he was, his two most memorable performances for the Giants came in two very different situations. Petit came one out away from a perfect game in 2013 and a year later pitched six spectacular innings out of the bullpen to allow the Giants to win Game 2 of the NLDS against his new team.
“Unbelievable game,” Bochy recalled. “I mean, this guy did some remarkable things in the role that he had, to go in a playoff game like that on the road. I mean, one mistake and the game is over, and to give us that kind of effort is something I'll never forget.”
Petit is probably a bit underrated in Giants history, but the players have never forgotten what he did that chilly night when he couldn't feel his fingers as he ran in from the used-up bullpen. He was popular and respected, and should be a good fit in a Nationals bullpen that’s had issues on and off the field. The Nationals, after that Game 2 performance, know better than anyone what Petit can bring to the table.
“I've said this so many times: You have to have a guy in the bullpen that you can use like that because they save the other guys,” Bochy said. “They really help keep your bullpen freshened up. If you don't have that guy, then you end up really running all of them in the ground, and he was that guy for us. He was able to handle that role.
"He was resilient, never had any arm issues. There were times when I threw him three, four innings and the next day, he says, ‘Hey, I'm good to go.’ You know, that's invaluable for a club. We'll see what happens here, because we'll have to replace him. We have some options that we've been talking about.”
In addition to internal options, the Giants will also look at free agents. They’ve done well with non-roster invitees in the past, and Petit himself was a minor move and somewhat of an afterthought before taking on a major role. The easiest way to replace the long reliever may be an old-fashioned way. The Giants signed Jeff Samardzija in large part because even when he doesn’t have his best stuff he tends to get deep into the game, and they’re attracted to the remaining innings-eaters on the market.
Having a good long reliever is nice. Not having to use your long reliever is even better.