SAN FRANCISCO -- The first free agent addition of the Farhan Zaidi Era is a unique one.
Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte agreed to a one-year deal with the Giants on Friday morning, giving the Giants the only ambidextrous pitcher in the big leagues and an intriguing option for their bullpen.
Venditte got a big league deal and will be on the 40-man roster. He will make $585,000 if he's in the big leagues, a source told NBC Sports Bay Area.
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The 33-year-old broke into the big leagues with the A's in 2015. After stints with the Blue Jays and Mariners, Venditte spent the 2018 season with the Dodgers, where Zaidi was the general manager. He was called up a team-high eight times and had a 2.57 ERA in 15 appearances.
Venditte is a natural right-hander who was taught to throw lefty by his father. He wears a custom-made glove with six finger holes, and by MLB rule, he must declare which hand he'll use before a matchup.
Manager Bruce Bochy has always used his relievers to get minor platoon advantages, and Venditte gives him a fascinating weapon. He almost always throws with the arm that gives him a platoon advantage. Venditte has had more success as a left-hander, holding lefties to a .186 average. He has faced 143 batters as a right-handed pitcher and 135 as a lefty.
[RELATED: Everything you need to know about Venditte]
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The Giants now have 38 players on their 40-man roster. Venditte joins Rule 5 picks Travis Bergen and Drew Ferguson, and waiver claim Mike Gerber, as offseason additions. At a time when the Giants are actively trying to trade their veteran relievers, it's noteworthy that Zaidi has added two left-handed relievers to the bullpen over the past eight days.
