The Giants got something out of nothing. On Friday, the team announced a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays that saw a return for a recently DFA’d reliever in Matt Wisler. Rather than lose Wisler for nothing, San Francisco netted a recent fourth-round pick in the deal.
Here are the details of the swap, per the team:
- The Giants and Rays have completed a trade, with LHP Michael Plassmeyer joining the Giants’ organization in exchange for RHP Matt Wisler and cash considerations. Plassmeyer will report to double-A Richmond.
Wisler was an oft-used part of the Giants’ bullpen, and had mixed results. The Giants picked him up on a one-year, $1.15 million deal after a stellar year with the Minnesota Twins, who declined to tender him. He opened the season as poorly as possible, allowing three earned runs while failing to secure an out, for a good ole infinite ERA.
He allowed seven earned runs through his first six outings before settling down and allowing three through his next 10 appearances. He followed that with a pair of poor outings over his last five games, failing to find the consistency he saw with the Twins in 2020.
Plassmeyer, meanwhile, will head to Richmond. He’s a former fourth-round pick out of Missouri by the Seattle Mariners. He was part of a multiple player trade to the Rays in 2018, which saw himself, catcher Mike Zunino and outfielder Guillermo Heredia sent to Tampa Bay for outfielders Mallex Smith and Jake Fraley.
He’s had success thus far in his career in the minors, and holds a 3.64 ERA as a starter with the Rays’ Double-A affiliate. He’s averaging roughly 10 strikeouts, two walks and 1.21 home runs per nine innings with a 1.18 WHIP and .281 batting average against. Regardless of whether he pans out for the Giants, he was a cheap acquisition.