Report: Giants remain interested in Braves' Johnson
The San Francisco Giants reportedly bolstered their rotation on Friday by re-signing veteran right-hander Jake Peavy. However, the club has yet to find a replacement for departed third baseman Pablo Sandoval.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Giants remain interested in Chris Johnson of the Atlanta Braves, whose offseason overhaul continued Friday when the club reportedly shipped Justin Upton to the San Diego Padres for a package comprised of four young players.
Johnson, who signed a three-year, $23.5-million extension with the Braves in May, regressed considerably last season. The 30-year-old managed just 0.5 WAR over a career-high 153 games, posting an unimpressive .263/.292/.361 line with 10 home runs in 611 plate appearances. Often chided for his plate approach, Johnson walked less frequently than all but five qualified hitters while striking out in 26 percent of his trips to the plate.
The Giants, however, have few viable options within the organization to replace Sandoval. With their roster as currently constituted, the Giants may be forced to move Marco Scutaro over to third base, or install a platoon wherein Joaquin Arias and Ehire Adrianza receive some time at the position.