Where is Tommy La Stella? Not with SF Giants
La Stella, who hasn't played since Sept. 10, was told he could go home — but Gabe Kapler said he still factors into their 2023 plans.
SAN FRANCISCO — Something has been missing from the Giants’ clubhouse over this final home stand: Tommy La Stella’s No. 8 jersey, his personal belongings and other locker fodder.
La Stella, 33, who has spent most of the season on the injured list, was told by the Giants he could go home early, manager Gabe Kapler said Sunday before the club’s finale at Oracle Park. His locker, in the far corner of the clubhouse, was cleaned out and replaced by Jason Vosler.
Despite a clear signal on the surface, Kapler said La Stella still factors in to the Giants’ plans in 2023. He is due to make $11.5 million in the final year of the three-year contract he signed before the 2020 season.
“He’s still very much a part of this team,” Kapler said. “The last conversation was exactly as you might expect. It was, ‘Let’s get ready for 2023. Work your ass off and keep yourself in position to be a great baseball player for the Giants next year.’”
It was difficult to ignore the imagery, though, especially coupled with La Stella’s shortcomings this season and looking ahead to next year, when his immobility defensively will be harder to shield with baseball restricting shifts.
Battling through multiple injuries, La Stella appeared in only 60 games but was penciled in a career-high 43 times at designated hitter. His on-base percentage (.282) and OPS (.632) were both the lowest of his career, paired with a .239 batting average and two home runs in 180 at-bats, his fewest in a season since 2018.
He missed the first 34 games of the season while recovering from offseason Achilles’ sheath surgery and hasn’t played since Sept. 10 with neck spasms. In between, he also had an extended stay on the COVID list, missing 15 games, while never revealing whether he tested positive or not.
“We talk a lot about foundation for ‘23. The foundation for ‘22 wasn’t especially stable,” Kapler said. “So we want to see him go out and have a great offseason and prepare for ‘23.”
La Stella’s backloaded three-year, $18.75 million contract remains the longest commitment Farhan Zaidi has made to a position player since becoming the Giants’ president of baseball operations in 2019.
The only other player to receive a three-year contract, Anthony DeSclafani, also spent the majority of 2022 on the injured list. Although DeSclafani spent much of the year home with his family in New Jersey, he returned to the club for a check-in this week and has had a locker all the while.
Alex Wood, Luis González, Brandon Belt, José Álvarez, Jakob Junis and Logan Webb have also all stuck around despite no possibility of seeing the field again.
Whether La Stella has a locker here next year could depend on whether another team is willing to take on his eight-figure salary, or if the Giants determine his roster spot has become enough of an albatross that they would eat that cost.
Kapler laid out what La Stella needs to do to be a productive player for the Giants in 2023.
“I think it’s sort of getting back to the version of himself … we saw in ‘21, and a few times this year, as well,” he said. “High quality at-bats, looking for pitches to drive, laying off the pitches that you can’t. And tuning up the athleticism as much as he can possibly do.”
Notable
- As expected, the Giants placed Logan Webb (back) on the injured list and added two pitchers to their roster. Kapler announced Saturday that Webb would not make his final start, in order to limit his workload. Expected to throw bullpen games Sunday and Monday, the Giants recalled right-handers Sean Hjelle and Luis Ortiz, who had been with the club on taxi-squad basis. Right-hander Jakob Junis was optioned to create roster space and isn’t expected to pitch again this season.