Giants activate Mike Yastrzemski from COVID IL

The Giants informed reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) that outfielder Jason Krizan has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento. The Giants also activated Mike Yastrzemski from the COVID-19 injured list. San Francisco’s 40-man roster now sits at 39, although they still have three players on the COVID IL who don’t currently count against that tally.

Krizan was selected last week when the Giants lost both Brandon Belt and Dominic Leone to the COVID list. While it came under unfortunate circumstances, it marked a heart-warming culmination of a long journey for the lefty-hitting outfielder. Krizan has played in parts of 11 minor league seasons, and his perseverance was rewarded with an MLB debut a bit shy of his 33rd birthday.

Unsurprisingly, Krizan’s stay on the major league roster proved brief this time around. He appeared in three games and collected his first hit (a single off the Nationals’ Josiah Gray) in eight at-bats. He’ll rejoin the River Cats, where he’s hitting .224/.350/.347 in 60 plate appearances this year, and try to work his way back to the majors.

San Francisco also announced they’ve signed left-hander Darien Núñez to a minor league contract (via Slusser). The Giants claimed Núñez off release waivers from the Dodgers last week. He had just undergone Tommy John surgery and won’t return until some point in 2023. The Giants quickly released him themselves but brought him back on a deal that won’t require dedicating him a 40-man roster spot or paying him a major league salary while he rehabs. Núñez appeared in six major league games with L.A. last season.

Yastrzemski got off to a decent start before landing on the shelf, hitting .267/.340/.356 through his first 50 plate appearances. He’ll slot right back into the lineup, starting in right field and hitting sixth tonight against Dodger starter Tony Gonsolin.