SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants announced today that they have claimed RHP Ricardo Pinto off waivers from Tampa Bay and optioned him to triple-A Sacramento. 

Pinto, 25, was 12-6 with a 4.23 ERA (58er, 123.1ip) in 28 combined games (six starts) between double-A Montgomery and triple-A Durham in the Rays organization this season. He also appeared in two games out of the bullpen for the Rays, allowing four runs on four hits in 2.1 innings (15.43 ERA). 

The right-hander spent the 2018 season in the White Sox organization after being acquired from Philadelphia on March 28, 2018. He spent a majority of last season at triple-A Charlotte and went 2-2 with a 5.80 ERA in 27 games (three starts) for the Knights. He also made three starts for Class A Advanced Winston-Salem in 2018, going 1-0 with a 6.75 ERA (8er, 10.2ip). 

A native of Venezuela, Pinto made his Major League debut in 2017 with Philadelphia and appeared in 25 games for the Phillies. In those games, he went 1-2 with a 7.89 ERA (26er, 29.2ip) while striking out 25 batters in 29.2 innings. 

In 27 career relief appearances at the Major League level, he’s gone 1-2 with an 8.44 ERA (30er, 32.0ip) with 25 strikeouts. In 166 minor league games (102 starts), Pinto owns a 53-34 mark with a 3.68 ERA, 547 strikeouts and a .253 opponent’s batting average against. 

He was originally signed by the Phillies as a non-drafted free agent on December 28, 2011. 

To make room on the 40-man roster for Pinto, RHP Trevor Gott has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.