SF Giants outright former White Sox outfielder to Triple-A Sacramento

The SF Giants outrighted outfielder Luis González to Triple-A Sacramento after he cleared waivers over the weekend.

The SF Giants outrighted 27-year-old outfielder Luis González to Triple-A Sacramento over the weekend after he cleared waivers. The Giants designated González for assignment when the team called up Wade Meckler (Giants Top 22 Prospect) earlier this month. González has missed most of the season with an injury but hit just .222/.338/.302 in 18 games between the Arizona Complex League and Triple-A. Because he has less than three years of service time, González cannot refuse the outright assignment. 

SF Giants right fielder Luis Gonzalez (51) hits a single against Atlanta. (2022) / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the third round of the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of New Mexico, González climbed the minor league ranks with the White Sox and appeared in 13 big-league games across 2020 and 2021.

The Giants claimed the Tuscon, Arizona native off waivers during the 2021 season. The front office took advantage of the White Sox's decision to designate him for assignment while he recovered from shoulder surgery. Then, in 2022, González was one of the Giants' standouts at big-league spring training and got off to a hot start.

González led the Giants offense early in 2022, setting the table with a .347/.384/.485 triple-slash in 112 plate appearances through May. However, his performance faded as the year went on. Kapler has claimed that González's production dipped because he playing through a lower back strain that forced him to finish the year on the injured list. He finished last season with a .254/.323/.360 line, adding 17 doubles, four home runs, and 10 stolen bases in 98 games. 

Across 1,705 career plate appearances in the minor leagues, Luis González has posted a .265/.348/.415 slash line, and in 363 career plate appearances in MLB, he has gone .253/.328/.363. A left-handed batter, he has a .755 OPS versus right-handed pitchers in his MLB career and could still show some viability in a platoon role and/or bench piece. Although he may not have a big-league future with the SF Giants anymore.