Mon Feb 19 2018 | 17:21 | Watson, Giants finalize deal that guarantees $9 million |
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Left-hander Tony Watson and the San Francisco Giants have finalized a two-year contract that includes a player option for 2020, a deal that guarantees the former All-Star reliever $9 million.The deal announced Monday could be worth $26 million over three years, including performance bonuses. Among the performance bonuses are $2.5 million annually in 2018 and 2019 based on games finished. The deal was structured in a manner that lowers its average annual value for the luxury tax.The 31-year-old left-hander was 7-4 with a 3.38 ERA last year in 71 relief appearances for Pittsburgh and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who acquired him on July 31. He was 2-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 24 regular-season games with the Dodgers, then 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA in 11 postseason games.A 2014 All-Star, Watson pitched for the Pirates from 2011-17.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball |
Mon Sep 18 2017 | 05:26 | LHP Tony Watson got some big outs in win Saturday in Washington |
LHP Tony Watson, who came to the Dodgers in a trade with the Pirates on July 31, got some big outs in a win Saturday in Washington. He is 2-1 with a 3.45 ERA in 19 games with Los Angeles. Watson, a former Pirates closer, was not needed on Sunday as the Dodgers lost 7-1 to the Nationals. |
Wed Aug 2 2017 | 06:03 | LHP Tony Watson joined Dodgers on Tuesday after being acquired f... |
LHP Tony Watson joined the Dodgers on Tuesday after being acquired from Pittsburgh at the non-waiver trade deadline the previous day and got three outs against the Braves after allowing a hit in the eighth inning. "He's on board. Whatever we ask of him, he's willing to do," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. Watson was 5-3 with 10 saves and a 3.66 ERA in 47 games with the Pirates. |
Tue Aug 1 2017 | 05:44 | LHP Tony Watson acquired by Dodgers from Pirates on Monday in ex... |
LHP Tony Watson was acquired by the Dodgers from the Pirates on Monday in exchange for RHP Angel German and 3B Oneil Cruz. Watson who will become a free agent after the season, was 5-3 with a 3.66 ERA in his seventh season -- all with Pittsburgh. He blew seven of 17 save chances and lost his job as closer in mid-June. |
Mon Jul 3 2017 | 02:37 | LHP Tony Watson (2-4) took loss |
LHP Tony Watson (2-4) took the loss. He inherited runners at second and third, no outs, in the seventh and gave up back-to-back singles as San Francisco scored three runs in the inning to take the lead. "Your other option is to give Trevor (Williams, the starter) the opportunity to get through it, and it he doesn't have a lot of experience pitching through a jam in the seventh," manager Clint Hurdle said. "With those left-handers coming up, something Tony's been able to (handle), he's been in a good place. We weren't able to get it done." |
Fri Jun 30 2017 | 04:04 | LHP Tony Watson bailed out starter Jameson Taillon in seventh wh... |
LHP Tony Watson bailed out starter Jameson Taillon in the seventh when he came into the game with one out and two on. He struck out Corey Dickerson and retired Evan Longoria on a pop fly. |
Sat Jun 17 2017 | 03:54 | LHP Tony Watson came in during Chicago's game-turning rally in n... |
LHP Tony Watson came in during Chicago's game-turning rally in the ninth inning. He allowed two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. It might have seemed a curious move given that Watson was recently removed as Pittsburgh's closer, but manager Clint Hurdle didn't want to throw a less experienced reliever into that spot. "It would have been (Edgar) Santana or (Jhan) Marinez right there," Hurdle said. "Tony's seen these guys. He's pitched a lot of leverage situations. That wasn't the plan going in, either. We got to the point where we tried to do the best we could with where we were, and we couldn't get out of it." |
Sat Jun 10 2017 | 04:14 | LHP Tony Watson taken out of closer role and will be used in low... |
LHP Tony Watson was taken out of the closer role and will be used in lower-leverage situations, manager Clint Hurdle announced before the game. Watson blew saves Tuesday and Wednesday and has a 4.44 ERA. On Wednesday, he gave up four runs (two earned) in the ninth inning of a 9-6 loss at Baltimore, a game that Pittsburgh led 6-1. Watson had allowed multiple runs in five of his past 10 appearances. In a strange twist, Watson got into Friday's game to pitch the ninth inning but in a mop-up role. He pitched a perfect inning. "He wanted the inning. He got the inning. I thought he was crisp," Hurdle said. |
Thu Jun 8 2017 | 04:11 | LHP Tony Watson probably very happy to get away from Camden Yard... |
LHP Tony Watson is probably very happy to get away from Camden Yards. He blew a save for the second straight night Wednesday, giving up a pinch-hit two-run homer to PH/LF Trey Mancini in the ninth that forced extra innings. Watson has blown five saves this season. "No excuses. It's not happening, " Watson said. "It's inexcusable. We've got a lead there late and guys put up runs and you have to get the job done." |
Thu Apr 27 2017 | 05:19 | LHP Tony Watson pitched final 11/3 innings, allowing one hit wit... |
LHP Tony Watson pitched the final 11/3 innings, allowing one hit with no walks or strikeouts. He improved to 7 of 7 in save opportunities. |
Sat Apr 22 2017 | 05:14 | LHP Tony Watson pitched scoreless ninth inning for fifth save in... |
LHP Tony Watson pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his fifth save in five opportunities and has converted 10 consecutive save opportunities dating back to 2016. |
Sat Apr 15 2017 | 04:56 | LHP Tony Watson loaded bases in relief in bottom of ninth inning... |
LHP Tony Watson loaded the bases in relief in the bottom of the ninth inning but prevented the Cubs from scoring any runs as he earned his third save of the season on Friday. Watson is 3-for-3 in save opportunities and has not allowed a run in five innings pitched. |
Sun Apr 9 2017 | 14:16 | LHP Tony Watson pitched ninth and 2-2 in save opportunities |
LHP Tony Watson pitched the ninth and is 2-for-2 in save opportunities. It wasn't perfect, though. With a two-run lead, Atlanta's Freddie Freeman led off the ninth with an infield single. A grounder by Adonis Garcia moved Freeman to second. Watson hit Nick Markakis before getting Brandon Phillips to pop out and striking out Chase d'Arnaud. |
Sat Apr 8 2017 | 04:40 | LHP Tony Watson pitched ninth to preserve one-run game for first... |
LHP Tony Watson pitched the ninth to preserve the one-run game for his first save. It didn't start well -- he hit Kurt Suzuki. Pinch runner Jace Peterson advanced to second on pinch-hitter Tyler Flowers' grounder and to third on Ender Inciarte's grounder. A liner to right by Dansby Swanson ended it. |
Mon Mar 27 2017 | 18:14 | Pirates season preview: McCutchen switch, Kang status keys |
There were a few surprises in training camp for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but the biggest ones came before it started.Andrew McCutchen was not traded and moved from center field to right after a subpar season, and Pittsburgh was able to re-sign right-hander Ivan Nova to remain an important part of the starting rotation.Still, there are a lot of questions surrounding a club that missed the postseason last year after a three-year run of playoff appearances and plays in the National League Central Division with the defending Worlds Series champion Chicago Cubs and perennially strong St. Louis Cardinals.The most impactful news in March for the Pirates was the status of third baseman and power hitter Jung Ho Kang, who remained in South Korea and on the restricted list after a DUI arrest. It was unclear when or even if Kang would join the Pirates.David Freese looks to inherit third base with Kang missing. Freese is part of a movement in which manager Clint Hurdle is keen on having a lot of interchangeable... [ More] |
Tue Oct 4 2016 | 06:48 | LHP Tony Watson moved into closer's role once Pirates traded Mar... |
LHP Tony Watson moved into the closer's role once the Pirates traded Mark Melancon -- big shoes to fill. He went 15-for-20 in save opportunities, and for the season was 2-5 with a 3.06 ERA. |
Fri Sep 30 2016 | 04:50 | LHP Tony Watson now ranks eighth in team history with 403 appear... |
LHP Tony Watson now ranks eighth in team history with 403 appearances -- and only other left-hander, Wilbur Cooper, has pitched in more games (469, including 368 starts). Cooper's 202 wins with Pittsburgh are the most by any pitcher in team history. |
Thu Sep 8 2016 | 04:20 | LHP Tony Watson pitched ninth inning for 11th save |
LHP Tony Watson pitched the ninth inning for his 11th save. It was significant because with two outs, a one-run lead, he got Matt Carpenter to fly out. A night earlier, in the same situation, Carpenter hit the first of three St. Louis homers in the Pirates loss. "I've been in this situation before where you give up some and then you sit around for a couple days," Watson said. "It's good to get back out there." |
Mon Aug 29 2016 | 02:24 | RHP Tony Watson worked scoreless ninth inning Sunday to earn 10t... |
RHP Tony Watson worked a scoreless ninth inning Sunday to earn his 10th save of the season. Watson has converted 10 of 11 chances since taking over the closer's role July 30. |
Wed Aug 17 2016 | 05:28 | LHP Tony Watson recorded sixth save in seven opportunities since... |
LHP Tony Watson recorded his sixth save in seven opportunities since taking over the closer's role, closing out the Pirates' 4-3 win over the Giants on Tuesday night. Watson had to pitch out of a second-and-third, one-out jam in the last of the ninth inning to nail down the win. He assumed ninth-inning responsibilities when the Pirates dealt RHP Mark Melancon at the trade deadline. |