
MLB games are on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, but roster moves are not. A former Giant learned the hard way Saturday.
The Washington Nationals released former San Francisco reliever Hunter Strickland on Saturday morning following his spring-training struggles. The hard-throwing right-hander gave up nine runs and 12 hits in 6 2/3 innings of exhibition work for the defending World Series champions.
Strickland joined the Nats in a midseason trade from the Seattle Mariners last year, posting a 6.26 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 26 appearances across the regular season and playoffs. He didn't allow a run in his first 10 appearances, before allowing 15 in his final 13 innings pitched. That included back-to-pack postseason appearances in which Strickland allowed four runs -- on three homers -- over two innings in the NLDS.
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The Giants non-tendered Strickland in 2018, making him a free agent after five seasons in San Francisco. Strickland won his first World Series ring with the Giants in 2014 and was the team's closer at the start of the 2018 season. Two years later, the 31-year-old is looking to join his fourth team.
[RELATED: Giants given three options as MLB halts operations]
MLB announced Thursday it was canceling spring training and suspending its regular season because of the spread of the coronavirus. The World Health Organization labeled the virus COVID-19 and officially deemed it a pandemic Wednesday.
That didn't include a pause on transactions, but Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Thursday that MLB was considering a roster freeze. Whether or not any players join Strickland on the open market, then, remains to be seen.