The Giants have struggled with injuries in their late starting rotation, and only have six starters on the injured roster. Logan Webb again Jordan Hicks They currently rotate in San Francisco as true full-time starters, though Spencer Howard again Hayden Birdsong filled in allowing the Giants to piece together a four-man rotation. Fortunately, it looks like that may change in the near future as Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reported earlier today that southpaws. Blake Snell again Kyle Harrison both improve recovery from injury.
Of the two, Harrison seems closer to a comeback. The southpaw found himself sidelined a little less than two weeks ago with a sprained right ankle, though the issue appeared to be minor enough that it looks like he’ll be ready to return after something very close to being on the shelf. Per Rubin, the team’s current plan is for Harrison to throw a bullpen session on Wednesday before looking to start at some point during the club’s road trip against the Braves and Guardians which wraps up on July 8. That should leave the Giants to change the rotation and before the Harrison joined the group.
After making seven appearances with the club last year, Harrison entered the club’s rotation on Opening Day this year alongside Webb, Hicks, Snell and. Keaton Winn. The 22-year-old has excelled in what will be his first full big league season with a league average of 3.96 ERA and to go along with a 3.95 FIP through 77 1/3 innings of work spread over 14 starts. Although the lefty has only struck out 20.6% of the batters he’s faced this year, he’s limited his walks to a solid 6.7% clip while producing grounders at a decent 42.1% rate. While the lefty’s pedigree certainly suggests he could take a step forward at some point, even that steady back-end production would be a huge boost to a San Francisco rotation that has gotten very few second innings in its first rotation in the majors. this year.
Snell, meanwhile, appears likely to rejoin the Giants after Harrison but has a concrete plan for his return. Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Per Rubin is scheduled to make one final start Wednesday before rejoining the rotation on July 10 against the Blue Jays. After being limited to just 6 starts in the first half with multiple groin injuries while struggling to a 9.51 ERA and 4.63 FIP in those 23 2/3 innings of work where he was healthy enough to take the mound, both Snell and the Giants certainly hope that The lefty can turn his season around when he returns to action.
While San Francisco had high hopes when they inked Snell to a two-year, $62MM contract in March, it’s not hard to imagine the southpaw, who boasts a 2.72 ERA and 3.17 FIP with a 31.7% strikeout rate. 56 starts in 2022-23, turned things around in the second half and helped anchor the top of the Giants’ rotation around Webb. Given his rough season, it’s almost impossible to imagine Snell coming out of the second year of his contract at this point barring an impressive second half at the level he enjoyed last year, when he posted a 1.43 ERA and 3.12 UFIP in his final 15 starts of the season.
Meanwhile, the veteran right-hander Alex Cobb is working his way back from injury after hip surgery last season that delayed the start of his 2024 campaign. He was expected to rejoin the Blacks in May, but ended up putting his bowling program on hold due to shoulder discomfort in the middle of last month. The righty finally appears ready to enter the game, however, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle noted this afternoon that Cobb will make a rehab start with Single-A San Jose tomorrow.
This is an important step for the 36-year-old as he looks to play again for the Giants. The veteran righty has been a valuable asset to the club in recent years when he’s been healthy enough to take the mound, posting a 3.80 ERA and 3.41 FIP in 301 career innings since his start with the Giants back in 2022. He and the veteran lefty Robbie Ray both could influence the club’s transition at some point later this season, providing depth to the internal rotation as the season progresses and they get closer to recovering from their injuries.
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