SAN FRANCISCO — Angel Villalona appears headed for a second chance with the Giants after being cleared of murder charges in his native Dominican Republic.
Bobby Evans, Giants vice president of baseball operations, on Saturday said Villalona could be reinstated into the organization’s farm system in the coming weeks. The Giants are in the process of working to resolve a lawsuit brought against them by Villalona seeking back wages and punitive damages.
Villalona had been charged in the September 2009 death of a 25-year- old man at a bar in his Caribbean homeland. He received a then-club record $2.1 million bonus when the Giants signed him in 2006.
Nats activate “Pudge”
WASHINGTON — The Nationals activated catcher Ivan Rodriguez from the 15-day disabled list and called up left-hander Tom Milone from the minors.
Milone’s contract was purchased from Triple-A Syracuse and first baseman Adam LaRoche was transferred from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day DL.
Rodriguez had been on the DL since July 7 with a strained right oblique.
Milone was 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA in 24 starts with Syracuse. He led the International League with 155 strikeouts and walked just 16 in 148 1/3 innings.
Footnotes.
The White Sox activated right-hander Philip Humber from the DL and plan to start him in the first game of Monday’s doubleheader at Minnesota.
• Blue Jays left fielder Eric Thames left the game against the Yankees because of dizziness after striking out in the first inning.
• Infielder Omar Quintanilla has been granted free agency by the Rangers after declining an outright assignment to the minor leagues.
