The San Francisco Giants seem to have a lot to figure out if they are going to compete with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the National League West division. But in the meantime, the team has gotten an update on a familiar face courtesy of their long-time regional foe.
As teams jockey for postseason positioning and evaluate organizational depth ahead of the stretch run toward the playoffs, the accompanying roster churn has now claimed Tyler Fitzgerald, who was a significant member of the Giants’ roster for three seasons before he joined the Dodgers in what has turned out to be a very brief run.
“The Dodgers say they released Tyler Fitzgerald, who was in (Triple-A Oklahoma City),” The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reported on X, formerly Twitter.
Los Angeles Dodgers Cut Ties With 3-Year San Francisco Giants Infielder
The move ends a brief stint in the Los Angeles organization for Fitzgerald, who joined the Dodgers after spending the first three seasons of his major league career with the Giants. While Giants and Dodgers fans rarely find common ground, Fitzgerald’s departure from San Francisco earlier this year already came as a bit of a surprise given the flashes he had shown at the major league level.
“Not so long ago, Fitzgerald seemed to be on the verge of a breakout,” Darragh McDonald wrote for MLB Trade Rumors. “With the Giants in 2024, he hit 15 home runs in 341 plate appearances and slashed .280/.334/.497 for a wRC+ of 132. Since he has the ability to play any spot on the infield or in the outfield, that was tremendously valuable.”
But the Giants decided to give up on the experiment shortly before Opening Day, cutting Fitzgerald from the big-league roster and then trading him to the Toronto Blue Jays for cash.
Toronto Blue Jays Flip Former San Francisco Giants Infielder, Later Cut By Los Angeles Dodgers
Shortly after Fitzgerald arrived in their minor-league system, the Blue Jays traded him to the Dodgers for cash as well. And while he never reached the majors with Los Angeles, his performance at Triple-A suggested he had plenty to offer.
“After being acquired from the Blue Jays on April 28, Fitzgerald didn’t receive a call-up to the Dodgers at any point, despite slashing an impressive .293/.400/.598 with six home runs and three stolen bases over 100 plate appearances at Triple-A Oklahoma City before landing on the 7-day injured list last week due to an unspecified injury,” CBS Sports reported. “Assuming the injury isn’t anything too significant, the 28-year-old should be able to find another opportunity in short order and could even land a major-league deal on the open market.”
Given Fitzgerald’s defensive versatility and prior success with the Giants, it would not be surprising if another organization quickly takes a chance on him. But what once looked like a potential breakout career in San Francisco has instead become a winding journey through multiple organizations, with the latest chapter ending after a short stay in the Dodgers’ system.