San Francisco Giants: Scott Kazmir completes another comeback story
When last we saw Scott Kazmir in the majors, he was producing respectable numbers for the Dodgers in 2016. However, his time in the majors appeared to be over after that season, as his continued injury woes had seemed to force him into retirement. In 2020, Kazmir announced that he was attempting a return, parlaying a four game stint in independent ball into a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants for the 2021 season.
Kazmir’s latest comeback story is complete. He has been called up to the majors, and will get the ball on Saturday to face the Dodgers.
Scott Kazmir will start for the Giants today. The 37-year-old hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2016, when he made 26 starts for the Dodgers. Regardless of how it goes, it's a pretty cool comeback story.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 22, 2021
Scott Kazmir completes comeback with San Francisco Giants
Kazmir made just two appearances at Triple-A, lasting for a total of six innings, but that was apparently all the Giants needed to see. He was solid in that time, allowing just two runs on four hits and a walk over 6.1 innings, striking out five batters. Considering his long layoff, those results were certainly impressive.
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There was a time when Kazmir was an ace, a pitcher who seemed destined to be a perennial All Star. The top pitcher on the Rays, he was a two time All Star during his time in Tampa Bay, leading the league in strikeouts in 2007. However, injuries and a lack of command took their toll, and he was out of the game following a disastrous 2011 with the Angels.
After showing that he was healthy in the independent leagues in 2012, he signed a minor league deal with the Indians. While he was not the pitcher he was in his heyday, Kazmir was still good enough to earn a two year deal from the A’s. He made his final All Star appearance in 2014, and had settled in as a solid middle of the rotation arm before injuries again derailed his career.
Now, after five years away, Kazmir is back. He may not have the most enviable of opponents for his first appearance, but at this point, it is difficult to count Kazmir out. His ability to overcome the odds, and return to the majors despite his ongoing injury concerns, mean that he could surprise us all once again.
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Scott Kazmir is back in the majors, making his debut with the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. His latest comeback story is complete.