Lefty Derek Holland joins Giants on minor league contract

SAN FRANCISCO -- Veteran left-hander Derek Holland has signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants.

Holland could compete for a job out of spring training with a rotation that has three set starters in Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija. There are two spots up for grabs, and manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that Ty Blach and Chris Stratton are the leading candidates to fill out those positions.

Blach went 8-12 in his first full major league season and emerged as a strong fill-in for Bumgarner when the 2014 World Series MVP missed nearly three months after an April 20 dirt bike accident in Colorado.

The 31-year-old Holland pitched his first eight seasons for Texas, then went 7-14 with a 6.20 ERA in 29 outings and 26 starts last year for the White Sox.

San Francisco's pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale, Arizona, on Tuesday, with their first workout Wednesday.