Giants release Tyson Ross, two others with MLB roster freeze lifted

For the first time in three months, the Giants are allowed to make roster moves, and on Friday they released three veterans, including one with Bay Area ties.

Right-handers Tyson Ross and Nick Vincent were let go, along with outfielder Jamie Westbrook. All three were in big league camp this spring as non-roster invitees, but the Giants did not see them being on the big league roster when the game resumes and there's no Triple-A option this year. The Giants will have a player pool of 60 players, but they feel good about their depth and also plan to carry several top prospects.

Ross and Vincent had both hoped to make the team out of the bullpen. A Bay Area native who has pitched in the big leagues for a decade, Ross has primarily been used as a starter but seemed to have some value as a swingman in 2020. He gave up three runs in 3 2/3 spring innings before the shutdown.

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Vincent was a Giant early last year and notably served as the first "opener" of the Farhan Zaidi era. He was designated for assignment but caught on with the Phillies, where he pitched well in September for Gabe Kapler before taking a second shot with the Giants.

Westbrook, 25, brought some positional versatility and on-base skills, but with a short season coming up, the Giants are overloaded with outfield options, with young players like Jaylin Davis, Mauricio Dubon and Austin Slater joining Mike Yastrzemski, Hunter Pence, Alex Dickerson and Darin Ruf. Steven Duggar, Joe McCarthy and Chris Shaw are also on the roster, so there's plenty of experienced depth for 60 games.

The roster freeze that went into place in April was lifted Friday at 9 a.m. The Giants had 47 players in camp when the season was halted but can bring 60 to Oracle Park for Spring Training 2.0