Sources: Tommy La Stella, Giants close to free-agent contract agreement

technical details

is_video => true
is_chrome_page => null
article_body => "The Giants have talked all offseason of adding another left-handed hitter to their lineup, preferably one who can play the infield. <\/p>\r\n\r\nThey appear to have found their guy. <\/p>\r\n\r\nThe organization is close to a deal with veteran Tommy La Stella, sources told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday night. The deal, which is believed to be for three years, is pending a physical, per sources.<\/p>\r\n\r\nLa Stella, who played for the Angels and the A's last year, would give the Giants a left-handed bat to pair with Donovan Solano and Wilmer Flores at second, along with potentially a platoon partner for Evan Longoria at third. <\/p>\r\n\r\nLa Stella, 30, posted a .281\/.370\/.449 slash line last season in 55 appearances, with five homers, 14 doubles and two triples. He struck out just 12 times, continuing a trend that makes him an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/athletics\/gm-david-forst-discusses-mlb-offseason-free-agent-tommy-la-stella\">ideal fit for the Giants<\/a>. La Stella has consistently posted high on-base percentages and low strikeout rates in the big leagues, and over the last two years, he tapped into some additional power. La Stella broke through in 2019, hitting 16 homers in 80 games for the Angels, which exceeded his total from five previous seasons combined. <\/p>\r\n\r\nLa Stella primarily has been a second baseman in the big leagues but also has plenty of experience at third. The Giants added Jason Vosler early in the offseason but continued to search for a more experienced bat for that role. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<h5>RELATED: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/giants\/nine-giants-who-could-be-playing-final-season-franchise-2021\">Nine Giants who could be playing final seasons in SF<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\r\n\r\nTeam president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has said he always felt the Giants were one left-handed bat short late in the year, and now the Giants appear to have solved that problem. La Stella had a .903 OPS against right-handed pitchers last season. <\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/balk-talk\">Download and subscribe to the Balk Talk Podcast<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<drupal-url data-embed-button=\"url\" data-embed-url=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/balk-talk\/episodes\/2060da3e-0bfa-46d7-a40d-faad780b035e\" data-entity-label=\"Embed social\" data-timestamp=\"1611713417\" data-url-provider=\"\"><\/drupal-url>\r\n"
created => 1611710395
changed => 1611716383
status => true
hero_image_credit => "USATSI"
tags => null
field_bean_single_col => null
section => null
orig_image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1920","height":"1080","uri":"public:\/\/short_form_video\/hero\/la_stella_t_usatsi_15006304.jpg","timestamp":1605686762}
image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1920","height":"1080","uri":"public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/bayarea\/2021\/01\/26\/la_stella_t_usatsi_15006304.jpg","timestamp":1605686762}
video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/bayarea\/video\/bruce-bochy-shares-thoughts-giants-2020-season-his-retirement"
is_mediaid => true
mediaid => "3qx5LhnTa4Cg"
video_autoplay => null
video_automute => null
mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
player_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/vplayer\/p\/BxmELC\/bayarea_main\/select\/media\/3qx5LhnTa4Cg?form=html&autoPlay=true"
chrome_data => null
description => "The Giants have been looking for another left-handed bat all offseason. They're close to a deal with veteran infielder Tommy La Stella, sources told NBC Sports Bay Area. "
league => "MLB"
league_id => "98"
sport => "Baseball"
sport_id => "5"
image_credit => "USATSI"
no_promo => false
no_trending_in_body => false
no_recirc => false
no_trend => false
short_title => "Sources: Giants close to deal with veteran infielder La Stella"
sponsorship_type => "presented_by"
type => "article"
alias => "\/bayarea\/giants\/sources-tommy-la-stella-giants-close-free-agent-contract-agreement"
title => "Sources: Tommy La Stella, Giants close to free-agent contract agreement"
nid => "294986"
author_0 => "Alex Pavlovic"
author_0_id => "6446"
mps => {"author_0":"Alex Pavlovic"}
region => "bayarea"
region_id => "2"
sponsor => null
sponsor_id => null
team_id => "76"
team => "Giants"
published => 1611710134
article_type => "short"
meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/bayarea\/giants\/sources-tommy-la-stella-giants-close-free-agent-contract-agreement.json","assets":["public:\/\/archive\/assets_article\/bayarea\/2021\/01\/26\/la_stella_t_usatsi_15006304.jpg"]}

Giants

/ by Alex Pavlovic

Giants

Alex Pavlovic

The Giants have talked all offseason of adding another left-handed hitter to their lineup, preferably one who can play the infield.

They appear to have found their guy.

The organization is close to a deal with veteran Tommy La Stella, sources told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday night. The deal, which is believed to be for three years, is pending a physical, per sources.

La Stella, who played for the Angels and the A's last year, would give the Giants a left-handed bat to pair with Donovan Solano and Wilmer Flores at second, along with potentially a platoon partner for Evan Longoria at third.

La Stella, 30, posted a .281/.370/.449 slash line last season in 55 appearances, with five homers, 14 doubles and two triples. He struck out just 12 times, continuing a trend that makes him an ideal fit for the Giants. La Stella has consistently posted high on-base percentages and low strikeout rates in the big leagues, and over the last two years, he tapped into some additional power. La Stella broke through in 2019, hitting 16 homers in 80 games for the Angels, which exceeded his total from five previous seasons combined.

La Stella primarily has been a second baseman in the big leagues but also has plenty of experience at third. The Giants added Jason Vosler early in the offseason but continued to search for a more experienced bat for that role.

RELATED: Nine Giants who could be playing final seasons in SF

Team president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has said he always felt the Giants were one left-handed bat short late in the year, and now the Giants appear to have solved that problem. La Stella had a .903 OPS against right-handed pitchers last season.

Download and subscribe to the Balk Talk Podcast