SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants believe they gained flexibility in their pitching staff despite dropping a veteran from their bullpen contingent Sunday as left-hander Derek Holland was designated for assignment.

Holland, 32, led the Giants in starts (30), innings (171 1/3) and strikeouts (169) last season. This year, however, he was dropped from the starting rotation in early May and went to the bullpen. In 31 appearances (seven starts), Holland posted a 2-4 record with a 5.90 ERA. Moreover, right-handed batters hit .293 off Holland, compared to .182 for left-handed batters.

Given left-handed starter Drew Pomeranz's recent move to the bullpen, the Giants lacked a definitive role for Holland, which made him expendable.

And though Pomeranz won’t automatically start every five days, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi did not rule out the possibility of Pomeranz starting again, if the club’s staff feels that he matches up well against a particular opponent. Pomeranz thus would join the crew of spot starters that includes Dereck Rodriguez, Andrew Suarez and Conner Menez, who started Sunday against the Mets after the Giants selected his contract from Triple-A Sacramento.

“There are going to be guys we skip or give a break,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.

The Giants also selected the contract of infielder Zach Green. A third-round selection by the Phillies in the 2012 Draft, the 25-year-old Green had been solid for Sacramento in 2019, compiling a slash line of .302/.402/.698 with 23 home runs and 59 RBIs. He bats right-handed, providing a complement to the Giants’ contingent of left-handed-hitting infielders.

Asked what he liked about Green, Zaidi replied, "Homers." Installed in Sunday afternoon's lineup against the Mets, Green made his Major League debut by starting at third base and indeed provided instant offense as he rapped base hits in his first two at-bats.

The Giants also designated infielder-outfielder Ryder Jones for assignment. Jones, 25, was a second-round pick in the 2013 Draft and briefly appeared to be in the Giants’ plans for the future. But he hit .184 with four homers and eight RBIs in 58 games from '17-18. Jones spent most of the previous two seasons at Sacramento, but a variety of injuries slowed his progress.

When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster, and 25-man roster if he was on that as well. Within seven days of the transaction (it was previously 10 days), the player must either be traded, released or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.

The Giants also optioned left-hander Ty Blach to Sacramento following Saturday's game. Blach allowed three runs and seven hits in three innings in San Francisco's 11-4 loss to the Mets.