Former San Francisco Giants reliever Derek Law will be returning to Oracle Park, but as an opponent. The Arizona Diamondbacks announced that they’ve selected right-hander Derek Law from Triple-A.
Law’s first MLB appearance in two years could come against the team he debuted for a decade ago. The right-hander agreed to a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks while recovering from flexor tendon surgery.
There’s a good chance he’ll pitch, as both the Giants and Diamondbacks are scheduled for a doubleheader. That was to alleviate a scheduling issue that San Francisco had, as they would have had to play games in 23 straight days otherwise.
Their originally scheduled off-day for August 31 will require them to fly to the East Coast. Instead, they have to make up a rained-out game against the Atlanta Braves from July.
Recapping Derek Law’s Tenure with the Giants
Originally a ninth-round pick by the Giants in 2011, Derek Law pitched in parts of three seasons in San Francisco. In 109 appearances, he owned a 3.83 ERA across 105.2 innings.
His 2016 rookie year was impressive. In 61 appearances, Law had a 2.13 ERA and 2.51 FIP over 55 innings. That put him in line for a back-of-the-bullpen role, but he was never able to build on that year.
Law struggled to a 5.68 ERA in his next 48 appearances. He had exhausted all his minor league options by the end of the 2018 season. He was outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento in February 2019.
After failing to make the Opening Day roster in 2019, he was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays for outfielder Kevin Pillar.
Derek Law’s Career After San Francisco
Derek Law bounced around various organizations. The right-hander pitched for five different teams over the next five seasons. That includes stops with the Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds, and the Washington Nationals.
His most successful season came with the Nationals in 2024. That year, Law had a 2.60 ERA in 90 innings. It was a career high in both appearances and innings pitched.
The following season, Law suffered a partial tear of his flexor tendon. He was on a rehab assignment when the injury occurred, after spending two months on the injured list due to forearm inflammation.
Law became a free agent after the 2025 season and signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks. He reported to their Triple-A affiliate in Reno after completing his rehab. He pitched 6.1 scoreless innings before Arizona added him to their big league roster.
Ex-San Francisco Giants Reliever Returns to MLB for Division Rival