Chris

Heston

Heston is coming off a fine year at Double-A, having posted a 2.24 ERA while striking out 135 over 148 2/3 frames. He’s now protected from the Rule 5 Draft.

Heston also walked three while striking out two on the afternoon. He’s the proud owner of a 9.28 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 5/4 K/BB ratio through 10 2/3 innings this spring. The 24-year-old posted gaudy numbers at the Double-A level in 2012, but isn’t close to securing a spot in the Giants rotation any time soon.

Heston was just released on Tuesday but has agreed to return to the organization. The 25-year-old has posted a 5.80 ERA and 1.61 WHIP over 19 starts at Fresno this season.

Heston had been designated for assignment earlier this month. The 25-year-old will now look to catch on elsewhere.

The Giants believe it’s an oblique injury, but he was sent for an MRI on Monday to confirm. He’s likely facing an extended absence. Heston has posted a 3.77 ERA in 12 starts and one relief appearance since being optioned to Triple-A in late April.

This is just a paperwork shuffle to allow the Giants to place Ruben Tejada on the 40-man roster. Heston suffered the oblique injury in a start for Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday. He had been pitching to a 3.77 ERA across 12 starts (plus one relief appearance) since being dropped down to the minors from the big league club near the end of April.

Heston has been on the disabled list since late June because of a severe oblique strain. The right-hander holds a rough 10.80 ERA in four appearances this season at the major league level after posting a 3.95 ERA across 31 starts for the Giants in 2015. It’s not clear what the plan is for him in September.

Heston landed on the disabled list in late June with an oblique strain and was unable to make it back to the majors before the end of the season. The 28-year-old made four relief appearances with the Giants this season and posted a 4.54 ERA over 14 starts and one relief appearance in Triple-A.

Seattle will hope Heston can bounce back from a dismal, injury-riddled 2016 that saw him register a 4.54 ERA at Triple-A Sacramento and a 10.80 ERA in the major leagues. He did perform well in 2015, delivering a 3.95 ERA in 177 2/3 innings for San Francisco while whiffing 141 batters. Heston will compete for a spot in the Mariners’ rotation next spring.

Heston was a nice innings-eater for San Francisco in 2015, but he allowed six runs in just five innings at the major league level this past year while fighting through oblique issues. It’d be a buy-low type of situation for Seattle, though Heston has never been considered a great talent. He turns 29 years old next April.