SATURDAY: The club has announced the move, and transferred Pablo Sandoval to the 60-day DL to accomodate.
FRIDAY: The Giants are set to activate Hunter Strickland from the disabled list tomorrow, the team told reporters (Twitter link via Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group). His activation will serve as the corresponding move for placing rookie right-hander Dereck Rodriguez on the 10-day disabled list yesterday. Curiously, the Giants won’t make an additional move today and will instead play a man short in Friday’s contest against the Reds.
[Related: San Francisco Giants depth chart]
Strickland has been out since undergoing surgery to repair a fractured right hand back in mid-June. It was an embarrassing injury for the right-hander, who sustained the fracture when he punched a door out of frustration following a blown save. He’s on the 60-day disabled list, so the Giants will have to make a corresponding 40-man move in order to activate him.
Left-hander Will Smith has been serving as San Francisco’s closer in Strickland’s absence, and it’s not yet clear how manager Bruce Bochy will elect to manage his bullpen roles once Strickland is activated. Smith has pitched exceptionally well this year, working to a superlative 2.01 ERA with 12.5 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 0.45 HR/9 and a 40.7 percent ground-ball rate. Smith is also running up a career-best 16 percent swinging-strike rate and a 40.4 percent chase rate that checks in as the third-best mark among qualified relievers in 2018.
Strickland was enjoying a strong season himself prior to the injury. In 31 2/3 frames this year, he’s posted a 2.84 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 3.7 BB/9, 0.57 HR/9 and a 39.6 percent ground-ball rate. Those numbers are obviously a fair sight shy of Smith’s dominance, but deploying Strickland in the ninth inning could allow Bochy to utilize Smith in higher-leverage spots earlier in the game — particularly against tough left-handed bats. While Smith has dominated righties and lefties alike, he’s been utterly overpowering against same-handed battters. Through 57 plate appearances, lefties are hitting a comically feeble .161/.175/.196 against him.
Come on Bochy!! I need a closer!!
Now giants can sign Bryce Harper
lofl
That’s gold. I know you’re joking but no way Harper goes to SF, not because of Strickland but because no hitter of his caliber is going to want to play half their games at AT&T. SF would have to massively overpay to get him and I still don’t think they could.
Although I’d love to see Harper join SF on the provision they trade Strickland to the team he least wants to go to.
You’re so right, just ask Stanton.
Its just the Giants fan solution every year sign the best available player in free agency. You shouldn’t laugh at it since the Giants will over pay other teams to get him. That is what they do over pay for a free agent and regret it later.
Hope the young man learned his lesson
I’d be shocked if he did. He’s not exactly been the model of self-control thus far.
Time to punch that time clock
Let’s rack up some punchouts.
Giants playing a man short?
Isn’t that odd? And unwise?
better to play a short man than a man short
So they should have flown a guy in from Sacramento, and have sit on the bench, just in case they might need a pinch hitter?
Funny, teams do that all the time.
#benicetobryce
Strickland is the literal role model for all prospects whose talent “hit the wall”.
Too many of these comments show little or no respect for Hunter’s strong competitive instinct.They are slightly sarcastic.
I like them all though!
Strickland has the talent but not the brains to make it work into a all star. His attitude takes away from his talent. the giants need to stop getting into fights on the field. Strickland’s fight cost them Morse. Now Hundley unnecessary fight with Puig cost them Rodriguez. They need to stop being so emotional on the field and just play.
Back to closer?
No closure by committee
Bruce style
Old style
He can’t made adjustments
The quote I read from Bochy is that Strickland will be used in “high leverage situations.” Sounds like late innings but not closing.
Why remove Smith…..He has been outstanding in the closer’s role
He has the closer’s mentality……Strickland has to control his emotions in order be effective for the Giants. Melancon has to be the odd man out……
I doubt that Melancon will be put on any shelf with the money that he is making.He is still a fairly good pitcher.I am not saying he should be the closer because I do not follow the Giants closely,but I doubt that they will relegate Melancon to pitching in anything near non important time periods.
They already kinda use him in low pressure situations FYI … could just be for his return but Bochy doesn’t have much faith in melancon from what I’ve seen this year. Moronta,Watson, and now black seem to be getting the toughest jobs aside from smith closing
That’s not entirely true. Yeah, when he came back he was eased in in low leverage situations, but lately, Bochy doesn’t seem to hesitate to use him any time Yesterday (Friday) Bochy used him in the 7th inning of a 1-1 ballgame. He pitched the 10th inning in a 3-3 game against the Dodgers on Thursday. He’s gotten his ERA below 3.00 and hasn’t given up an earned run in his last 5 games.
I don’t want to see him closing, I like Will Smith for that role, but Melancon has been decent, and not in just .low pressure situations.
I don’t disagree he’s being used more so… but I also feel that’s due to the constant work of moronta smith Watson I mean he leans on them almost to a overuse point this season… luckily Watson has snapped back a bit after all star but boch used him up before the break. I’m happy to see melancon putting in useful innings again I’m a fan I don’t want a usesless 65$ mil relief pitcher on the books
We don’t have a true Closer at this time but Bochy Manages it
Again closure by committee
Bruce’s style
Don’t downvote the guy for using the Bay Area commentators term haha they call it “closer by committee” so it kinda gets lodged in our heads!
Bruce’s style won them 3 world series’ in five years and a sure ticket to the Hall of Fame.
“We don’t have a true closer at this time?” What has Smith been doing in Strickland’s absence? He has every save since. I think Boche likes it just like it is. Strickland will be used in certain situations, don’t forget there aren’t that many saves left.
I’m just thinking out loud here. Do you think that they are saying “no closer” because when you give someone that title you live and die by that player. You put them in a save situation and you don’t take them out.
By not calling anyone a “closer” Bochy can yank any guy and put anyone else in if he feels they don’t have it that day???
Thoughts anyone?
The idea of Panda being on the 60DL with nothing to do but scour the buffets in Frisco is horrifying to every restaurant owner in California…….
Hahahaha. Dude this is funny!!
Gonna provide a much needed punch to that bullpen
Not really. The Giant’s bullpen has been good. It’s probably been the best part of the team. The pen ranks 8th in MLB and 4th in the NL in ERA at 3.64. Their 179 ERs is well below the MLB and NL average of 194.
Last I looked.. the Giants are leading the National League in blown saves …so not sure anything they do can be worse
Over or under panda gains 15 lbs
Panda was in decent shape this year contrary to some of the years I’ve seen him… and for a guy who loves baseball, fans love again, and we paid 500k this season and will again next season for versatile +.700 ops. It’s baseball a game any shape of man/woman can play and typically to an older age than other sports! Embrace the panda ! Look at Bartolo!
Panda might be lovable in SF but to me he took the money and ran in Boston by coming in so fat.Cherington lost his job because of it and he should have.You may be able to play the sport to all ages but you cannot play MLB in the field and be fat.He seems to have a home in SF and has been serious about playing well and hopefully he will not exhaust the buffet lines once again.
strickland is the puig of pitching