Giants’ lack of shooting makes workload ‘uncomfortable’

Giants’ lack of shooting makes workload ‘uncomfortable’ originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area

ST. LOUIS – Jordan Hicks reached the big leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2018 and played at Busch Stadium for five seasons. He’s gotten used to a familiar rhythm in the middle of summer, when temperatures regularly reach 100 degrees and humidity makes sledding even more difficult for players.

Hicks sat in the bullpen and dugout and watched as opposing starters worked long innings. When the pitch count reached twenty in an inning, he found his legs getting heavy. That’s when the Cardinals lineup tended to attack.

On Saturday, Hicks experienced the other side of that.

After 99 games at Busch Stadium as a Cardinal, he made his first appearance as a visitor and allowed a season-high five earned runs in a 9-4 loss this left the Giants five games under .500. Hicks needed 29 pitches to get past third, and even though he left the bases loaded, his legs never recovered. The Cardinals took the lead on Alec Burleson’s three-run blast in the fourth and never looked back.

“My legs were dead after the third, to be honest,” Hicks said.

It was one of his toughest days as a Giant, but for Hicks, there was still a significant silver lining. He reached the 80-inning mark for the first time in his career, surpassing the previous record of 77 2/3 innings, a setback from 2018. It’s an accomplishment Hicks is proud of, in large part because he always wanted a chance to start. every five days in the big leagues.

Hicks joined National League innings leader Logan Webb as Giants who have thrown at least 80 innings. The problem for the coaching staff at the moment is that it will take a while for someone to join the club.

Kyle Harrison is eight outs away but is sidelined with a sprained ankle. Keaton Winn is the only other Giant at the 40-inning mark, but he is headed for another MRI on his right elbow. After those four, the next seven pitchers on the team’s innings leaderboard are relievers.

It’s a problem the Giants have no solution to right now and it’s costing them games. Hicks left with a one-run deficit, but because his bullpen was so exhausted, manager Bob Melvin threw Sean Hjelle out for a second inning. On his 27th pitch in 94-degree weather, Hjelle gave up a two-run home run.

Hjelle has been excellent in short bursts this year and is pitching like someone who gets big strikeouts late in games. But too often, Melvin needs him to help keep games close after a starter leaves at fourth or fifth.

“It’s been a lot,” Melvin said of the bullpen’s workload. “We have some guys with extreme workloads right now. The workloads of (Ryan) Walker, (Erik) Miller and Tyler (Rogers) are extreme. take a bit off the plate Hjelle is a guy who can do that, but unfortunately he had to throw two innings as well.

“Randy (Rodriguez) is maybe a guy who can also, but we have to take a good look at that right now because you’re looking (pitching) in half the games, plus, I think a little bit for a few of these guys, and there are a lot of them. that are in the top 10 (in appearances) that make things feel uncomfortable.

Walker leads the majors with 39 starts and Rogers is right behind him with 38. Miller is tied for ninth with 36. The Giants have three of the top seven in the National League in terms of appearances, a sobering thought given how tight the NL Wild A card race is and how much they might need these guys in September as well.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but the Giants won’t reach it until July. That’s when they hope to bring Harrison, Ray and possibly Cobb back, but at some point in the second half, Harrison and Hicks will also face inning limits. Several relievers will also surpass their previous highs.

In the meantime, there are games to win and the Giants at least have Webb waiting. He will surpass the 100-inning mark on the final day of the trip and Hicks hopes to get there soon as well. He said his body is fine in general and that he doesn’t have any problems with his arm.

“I feel good, but it’s hard to ask myself why it was the hottest game of the year at 10 degrees,” he said. “Ask me after the next one. I think I feel good. My legs felt a little tired earlier today.”

The Cardinals took advantage, but Hicks’ next start will come in the comfortably cool weather of Oracle Park. After that, it’s a road trip to Atlanta and Cleveland, putting more stress on a pitching staff that ranks 26th in the big leagues in ERA.

It’s a problem that threatens to derail the season, and Melvin’s frustration on Saturday showed that it’s a problem that keeps him up at night. The Giants will return home on Sunday for seven consecutive home games, and currently have just two starting pitchers in their five-man rotation.

There are no easy answers, although Hicks at least offered a path to a happier flight home.

“We’re going to win tomorrow, get out of here and head to San Francisco,” he said.

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