Free-agent right-handed reliever Ken Giles signed a minor-league deal with the Atlanta Braves on Friday, according to the team. The deal includes an invite to major-league spring training, and he'll receive $1.75 million if he's in the majors in 2024. Giles impressed some teams during his showcase a month ago and will now join the Braves for spring training as he looks to get back to the big leagues. The 33-year-old veteran struggled at Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2023, allowing 19 earned runs in 18 innings. Injuries have derailed his career, as he has thrown only eight innings in the majors since 2020 with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Giles was among the top closers in baseball in his prime and has 115 career saves in eight big-league seasons, but he'll just be hoping to stay healthy and give Atlanta some bullpen depth in 2024.
Ken Giles Will Throw A Bullpen Session For Potential Suitors
Free-agent relief pitcher Ken Giles will throw a bullpen session for interested teams on Friday, Jan. 26 in Phoenix, Arizona, according to Jon Heyman. Due to injury, the 33-year-old has appeared in just nine games over the last three seasons, so he wants to prove to teams that he is finally healthy and ready to contribute. His last full season came back in 2019 with the Blue Jays, when he put up a dominant 1.87 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 83:17 K/BB over 53 innings of relief to go along with 23 saves. It will be interesting to see how much velocity "100 miles Giles" has lost over the years, but if he puts on a good performance next Friday, he should get a spring-training invite from a club.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and free-agent reliever Ken Giles agreed to a minor-league contract on Saturday. The 32-year-old has made a mere nine appearances since 2020, but he has managed to resurface after tossing batting practice for interested teams recently. The move aims to bolster the Dodgers bullpen if Giles eventually works his way to a major-league roster spot, that is. He may have once been a lights-out closer, but he has a long way to go before rediscovering fantasy relevance. Giles tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings last year for the Seattle Mariners.
Free-agent reliever Ken Giles will toss live batting practice on Friday, per Jon Heyman. He has been working towards his comeback for the last five weeks in Phoenix. Giles hasn't been fantasy relevant since 2019 when he attained a 1.87 ERA, 83 punch outs, and 23 saves in 53 innings for the Blue Jays that year. The 32-year-old has pitched just eight innings since 2020, and he has struggled to resurface in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2020. Giles should remain on fantasy waiver wires, as there's no guarantee he'll handle a high-leverage role even on a bullpen-deprived squad.
Free-agent relief pitcher Ken Giles is set to throw for teams in Arizona on Friday. It sounds like multiple teams are going to be in attendance for this session. The 32-year-old is attempting to make a comeback to the mound. He has only appeared in nine games over the last three seasons due to injuries. Before that, Giles was a reliable ninth-inning option, but it's uncertain what he has left in the tank. It's unlikely he'll have any fantasy value unless he finds a closer job somewhere. Fantasy managers can take a wait-and-see approach here.
Free-agent relief pitcher Ken Giles threw a bullpen session for the San Diego Padres on Friday at their spring training complex in Peoria, Ariz. He will continue to throw bullpens every Tuesday and Friday for interested teams until he gets signed. Giles also threw for interested clubs at Arizona State on Feb. 8, but nothing came of it. The 32-year-old former closer has been injured in recent years and has made just nine relief appearances in the last three years with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Giles is completely healthy now, but it remains to be seen if a team will take a chance on him. Even if he lands with a club for the 2023 season, it's unlikely that Giles will return to fantasy relevance.
Free-agent relief pitcher Ken Giles (elbow) will be throwing for interested teams two weeks from Wednesday on Feb. 8 at Arizona State University in Tempe, Ariz. Giles is reportedly "100 percent healthy" after two years removed from having Tommy John surgery. The 32-year-old former closer has eight years of major-league experience with four different teams and also 115 career saves, so there is bound to be some interested teams if he is now healthy and looks anything like his prior self. Giles only appeared in five games in 2022 for the Seattle Mariners, but he tossed 4 1/3 shutout innings. The problem is he hasn't pitched in a full season since 2019, and he'll likely be a long shot to return any fantasy relevance in 2023 if he lands with a new team.
The San Francisco Giants signed free-agent right-handed relief pitcher Ken Giles (elbow) to a minor league contract on Monday, and he'll pitch for the team's rookie-ball organization on Monday. Giles was recovering from Tommy John surgery and was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners last week. In five outings with Seattle covering 4 1/3 innings, the 31-year-old gave up just one hit while walking four and striking out six in 4 1/3 shutout frames. However, he also allowed 13 earned runs on 17 hits while walking 10 and striking out 15 in 12 1/3 minor league rehab innings with High-A Everett and Triple-A Tacoma. Giles will be hoping to prove that he's worth of a spot in San Fran's bullpen down the stretch.
The Seattle Mariners DFA'd relief pitcher Ken Giles on Friday. The 31-year-old has had major struggles staying healthy over the past few years, as he has pitched only eight innings since the start of 2020. With Giles having both elbow and shoulder issues over that time span, it makes sense that the Mariners would move on from him. If he can get healthy over the off-season, there will surely be a team that can use the former closer. He has always had swing and miss stuff, and even in his brief time in Seattle he showed he still has it, firing six strikeouts over his 4 innings pitched. Depending on where (and if) he signs, he's someone to look out for as a source of saves near the end of drafts next season.
Seattle Mariners right-handed pitcher Ken Giles (shoulder) has been put on the 15-day IL, and right-handed pitcher Matt Brash has been recalled to replace him. Giles felt something in his right shoulder after throwing a pitch in Friday's game against the Toronto Blue Jays and was immediately taken out of the game. It's a tough break for the former closer, who had made just five appearances this season after returning from Tommy John surgery that kept him out for all of 2021. The silver lining here is that it makes room for Brash to return to the MLB roster, although it will be out of the bullpen. After a tough first go in the majors, the young righty has racked up 41 strikeouts over 26 innings pitched with a 3.46 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in triple-A. The control remains an issue, but his stuff is undoubtedly dominant. Keep an eye on him for now.
