The Giants will pick up the pieces with another starting pitcher originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
ST. LOUIS – The rare break on a Friday left the Giants with just a two-game set against St. Jordan Hicks will pitch the first game and Logan Webb will go on Sunday.
At present, these two are also known as the Whole Giant Rotation.
Right-handed Keaton Winn Hit the IL on Saturday with inflammation in his right elbow, a week after young starter Kyle Harrison sprained his ankle. The only other starting option left on the roster is Spencer Howard, who tends to come out of the bullpen after the opener.
Help is on the way and while Webb faces the Cardinals, Blake Snell and Robbie Ray will pitch in the same Triple-A game in Sacramento. Snell could return next week, but Ray will continue his rehab after Tommy John surgery. Alex Cobb, who performed a live BP session for the first time, is in a similar time frame to Ray.
The Giants expect both back at the All-Star break, likely early in the second half. But over a few weeks, they will have to find a way to put the pieces together at two or maybe even three rotation points.
“(Harrison) actually played catch yesterday and will play again today and we’ll see where he’s at. Originally I didn’t think he would have a chance to return within 15 days, but I wouldn’t rule it out now,” said coach Bob Melvin. “It would be nice to get him back here at some point before the break and then if we can get through the break and get other guys back, it will certainly be a different look than ours.”
Right-handers Mason Black and Kai-Wei Teng are options to fill innings right away, although they have struggled in previous looks. Prospects Carson Seymour, Hayden Birdsong and Carson Whisenhunt are also at Triple-A, though none are on the 40-man roster, a potential hurdle given that Ray and Cobb will need to come off the 60-day IL soon.
Birdsong, who started the year in Double-A, might now be the most interesting name on the list. His fastball reached 99 mph and he struck out 14 times in two Triple-A starts, allowing five runs in nine innings.
Oblique Scare
Mike Yastrzemski was disappointed to last just a few innings at Rickwood Field, but a day after getting an MRI on his oblique, he was relieved to have taken a cautious approach. The left oblique strain was considered mild and Yastrzemski expects to be back when he is eligible in 10 days, although Melvin said that is possibly a little optimistic.
Yastrzemski felt the pinch at Rickwood Field and struggled to leave the historic game. But he knew that insisting on it could cost him six weeks or more.
“To actually use my brain in that situation and say I think this is the smartest decision to not try to force this was good,” Yastrzemski said. “Hopefully we can get things on the right track here and be good to go.”
Welcome back
Infielder David Villar returned with Luis Matos and went straight into the starting lineup. Melvin said Wilmer Flores is a little banged up.
Villar has played 98 big league games over the past two seasons, but this is his first call-up of 2024. He had an .839 OPS in Sacramento and said the last few weeks have been the best he’s felt at the plate.
