MILWAUKEE — Travis Ishikawa’s pennant-clinching home run last October ensured him a lasting place in Giants history. But it did not guarantee him a place on the team this season.
A backache in the spring only delayed the inevitable: with no more time left on his rehab assignment and no room on the Giants roster, the club designated Ishikawa for assignment on Monday.
The Giants have 10 days to trade Ishikawa or outright him, if he were to clear waivers. Ishikawa has the right to refuse a minor league outright assignment, but if he did so, he would forfeit the remainder of his $1.1 million salary because he has less than five years of major league service time. (Casey McGehee, who was designated for assignment on Sunday, keeps his $4.8 salary regardless because he has more than five years of service.)
Giants GM Bobby Evans called the Ishikawa decision “very difficult” because of the player involved, but less so from a practical perspective. The club has plenty of coverage in the outfield with Nori Aoki, Gregor Blanco and Justin Maxwell already squeezed for time in left field. At first base, Brandon Belt typically rests only when Buster Posey takes a break from catching. Plus the Giants are playing with 13 pitchers and just one utility infielder. So Ishikawa, despite being a solid bench presence down the stretch last year, an unexpected starting left fielder in the playoffs and connecting for a home run that will be treasured for generations of Giants fans, just wasn’t going to fit into the club’s plans.
Evans said he would monitor the trade market, and although he would like Ishikawa to remain in the organization, he also would not mind seeing him get another major league opportunity.
“He was very professional, and just anticipating what’s next,” Evans said.
How fortunes change: Just seven months after his heroic buzz around the bases, Ishikawa is without a major league job. And the pitcher he connected against, the Cardinals’ Michael Wacha, is 7-0 with a 1.87 ERA and is a leading candidate to start for the NL All-Star team.
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