Giants’ Posey, O's Mancini win Comeback Players of the Year

NEW YORK — Giants catcher Buster Posey and Baltimore Orioles slugger Trey Mancini were named baseball's Comeback Player of the Year Award winners on Monday night.

Posey, the National League winner, sat out the 2020 season after twin girls adopted by him and his wife were born prematurely. He announced this month he was retiring after 12 seasons. Mancini, who took the American League prize, missed the entire 2020 season while being treated for stage 3 colon cancer. They were selected in balloting by the 30 team beat reporters at MLB.com.

The 34-year-old Posey hit .304 with 18 home runs, 56 RBIs and an .889 OPS for the 107-win Giants. The batting average was his highest since 2017 and the homer total his best since 2015.

Mancini, 29, batted .255 with 21 homers, 71 RBIs and a .758 OPS as a first baseman and designated hitter for Baltimore. He hit his 100th career home run against Toronto on June 20th in his 531st career game, becoming the fastest Oriole to reach the mark after debuting with the team. He was runner-up to the Mets' Pete Alonso at the All-Star Home Run Derby.

DeSclafini locked up

for 3 years, $36 million

Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani reached agreement Monday on a $36 million, three-year contract to remain with the San Francisco Giants.

DeSclafani emerged as a key member of manager Gabe Kapler's rotation during the NL West champion Giants' record-setting 107-win season, going a career-best 13-7 with 152 strikeouts and a 3.17 ERA over 31 starts.

He is set to make $12 million in each season of the deal from 2022-24, and the contract also includes a $60,000 donation the 31-year-old pitcher will make annually to the Giants Community Fund.

“Obviously, he had a really nice year for us. Beyond his individual stats, we were 21-10 in games that he started, so the team had a lot of success when he took the ball, which is of the ultimate importance," President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi said.

Last Wednesday, first baseman Brandon Belt accepted the club's $18.4 million qualifying offer for the 2022 season following a career-best year.

San Francisco cleared roster room by designating outfielder Alex Dickerson for assignment.

Wood close to deal

According to a report from FanSided’s Robert Murray, left-hander Alex Wood is also close to a deal that would bring him back to a Giants team that’s eager to fill out its starting rotation behind ace Logan Webb. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Wood is nearing a two-year contract that would be worth upward of $10 million per season.

Wood made 26 starts for the Giants in 2021 and posted a 3.83 ERA while finishing the season with a 3.90 strikeout-to-walk ratio

Reliever Jackson traded to Braves

The Giants' pitching staff is in flux after three starting pitchers entered free agency this month along with several relievers. Another relief pitcher went out the door Monday as the Giants traded Jay Jackson to the Braves in exchange for a player to be named later or cash.

The Giants designated the 34-year-old Jackson for assignment last week as they added prospects Sean Hjelle, Heliot Ramos and Randy Rodriguez to the 40-man roster. Earlier in the month, it appeared the Giants would keep Jackson around when they exercised an option to retain him for the 2022 season.

Jackson joined the Giants last winter on a minor-league deal. He was one of many arms who cycled through the bullpen throughout the season as the Giants churned their roster for healthy players and matchup advantages.