DENVER -- Shortstop Abiatal Avelino played the first inning Thursday for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, but didn't take the field in the second for the Yankees' farm club.
He thought he could be on his way to New York, getting a promotion to the Major Leagues for the first time, particularly when some teammates told him, "Gleyber Torres doesn't feel really good. I said, 'Oh, maybe that's an opportunity for me.'"
Soon enough, Avelino, 23, learned that he had been traded to the Giants on Friday in the deal that sent outfielder Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees.
"At that moment, I was really happy because I said in my mind, 'OK, now I have another opportunity to go to The Show.' And now I'm here," said Avelino, who was called up by the Giants on Tuesday.
Before joining the Giants, the only player on the team Avelino knew was pitcher Johnny Cueto, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and not with the team. Both Cueto and Avelino are from San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, where Avelino said he once spoke with Cueto.
"So for me, everybody's new [here]," Avelino said.
Avelino said he tried out three times for the Giants in the Dominican Republic, but wasn't offered a contract. He was 16 when he signed with the Yankees in December 2011.
He hit .337 with a .945 OPS this year for Double-A Trenton in 49 games with 10 homers, 28 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. At Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Avelino hit .252 with a .663 OPS in 74 games with five homers, 38 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
"Same baseball," Avelino said of the highest two levels in the Minors. "In Triple-A, I lost my timing to hit."
Having hit 15 home runs this year, Avelino was asked whether that could be part of his skill-set.
"Not yet," he said. "My game is play really good defense, steal bases, be aggressive, be smart. And if they need me for a pinch-hitter, I can do that, too. But right now, no power hitter."
Avelino played one game in right field this year for Scranton-Wilkes Barre, and Giants manager Bruce Bochy said more outfield play could be in store for Avelino, who in the Minors has played 365 games at shortstop, 190 at second base and 36 at third base.
"It is something that will be discussed," Bochy said. "He's really an athletic kid. You can tell just watching his actions at shortstop. He could be a super-utility type guy like (Alen) Hanson. ... He's got a plus-arm. He runs well. So I think that's really a no-brainer as far as his future, getting some work there.
"Not to say he can't possibly be an everyday player somewhere. But meanwhile until then, you want to keep as much flexibility as possible with these athletes."
Crawford out
Shortstop Brandon Crawford was not in the lineup due to a recurrence of left knee soreness that caused him to miss three games before he returned Tuesday.
"He's dealing with some soreness in the knee and it's come back to the point where we think it's wise to give him a day off today," Bochy said. "With the day off tomorrow, he should be able to go on Friday. But it flared up on him a little bit. Not to the point where it was, but to try to stay ahead of it, we think it's best to just give him a day."