Major League Baseball

Sources: Giants, Francoeur reach deal

Published Jul. 9, 2013 1:00 a.m. ET

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Ken Rosenthal

The reeling San Francisco Giants added to their depleted outfield Tuesday, reaching agreement with Jeff Francoeur on a minor league deal, according to major league sources.

Francouer, 29, was designated for assignment for the Kansas City Royals on June 30 and released Sunday. The Royals will be responsible for nearly all of the remainder of his $6.75 million salary, with the Giants paying him only a pro-rated portion of the major league minimum.

The Giants, losers of 17 of their past 22 games, wanted to add a right-handed hitting outfielder; center fielder Angel Pagan, a switch-hitter, recently underwent surgery on his left hamstring and could miss the rest of the season.

Francoeur will report to the Giants' Triple-A affiliate Tuesday night.

Francoeur is a right fielder, but the Giants figure to use him in a platoon with Andres Torres, a switch-hitter, in left. Hunter Pence plays right for the Giants, and the team has been mostly using Gregor Blanco in center. Francoeur, who has made only two career appearances in left, both with the Rangers in 2010, could take the roster spot of Cole Gillespie, who was promoted last Friday.

Francoeur batted .208 with a .571 OPS in 193 plate appearances for the Royals, a sharp dropoff from his career numbers entering the season – .264 and .735.

The Giants will be his fifth team.

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