The Dan Uggla Era is over, reportedly, and Tyler Colvin is off the roster as well.
As the club boarded a flight to New York for a road trip that begins Friday at Citi Field, they were not joined by Uggla or Colvin. MLB.com’s Chris Haft reported that the Giants released both players, although the club officially confirmed only that Colvin had been optioned to Triple-A Fresno. They did not make an announcement regarding Uggla.
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Uggla’s tryout with the Giants apparently lasted four games. He was 0 for 11 with six strikeouts and committed three errors in three starts. Colvin hit .223/.268/.381 with two home runs in 57 games, and struck out as a pinch hitter Wednesday.
The unanswered question is what new faces will replace them on the roster when the first pitch is thrown Friday at Citi Field. Giants GM Brian Sabean continues to be active in trade discussions for a second baseman, with Emilio Bonifacio expected to be dealt by the Cubs soon and the Indians also looking to move Asdrubal Cabrera.
First baseman Brandon Belt could return sooner than expected from the concussion DL. If trade discussions fall through, there’s also an outside shot that the Giants could take a flier on promoting Matt Duffy, who put himself on the radar by hitting .332/.398/.444 in 97 games for Double-A Richmond. Duffy, 23, was an 18th-round pick out of Long Beach State in 2012 and recently moved from shortstop to second base for the Flying Squirrels. He received serious consideration for a promotion before the Giants signed Uggla to a minor league contract.
