As Giants’ rotation struggles, auditions for starting jobs are wide open
PHOENIX — When pitchers and catchers reported to the Giants’ complex in Scottsdale in February, manager Bruce Bochy believed the starting rotation would be a clear-cut team strength.
Three months later, the Giants’ rotation is one of the greatest concerns for a club that sits in last place in the National League West.
Bochy announced Sunday that left-hander Andrew Suárez will make his 2019 debut with the club in a series-opener against the Atlanta Braves on Monday at Oracle Park. Suárez owns a 6.33 ERA in six starts with Triple-A Sacramento this season, but the Giants are running out of viable starting options and hope a promotion will help Suárez regain some competitive fire.
“Sometimes a change like this, especially a guy who has made as many starts as he did up here, it can be pretty uplifting,” Bochy said. “It can fire a guy up, so we’ll see. But we need a starter tomorrow.”
Suárez posted a 4.49 ERA in 29 starts for the Giants as a rookie last season, but was out of the running for a spot in the team’s 2019 rotation by the middle of spring training. With the return of a healthy Jeff Samardzija and Derek Holland coupled with the addition of free agent Drew Pomeranz, the Giants felt they had seven-to-eight major league-caliber starters vying for rotation spots.
Depth has instead been a significant issue for the Giants as Suárez will become the third different starter (Shaun Anderson, Tyler Beede) to make his 2019 debut with the club this month.
Very little has gone according to plan for the Giants’ staff this year as the starters own the second-worst ERA in the National League and the sixth-worst in all of baseball with a 5.21 mark. While Samardzija and ace Madison Bumgarner have been reliable, Holland, Pomeranz and second-year right-hander Dereck Rodríguez have all dealt with early struggles.
Holland’s challenges compelled the Giants to send him to the bullpen while Rodríguez’s command issues forced the club to option him to Triple-A Sacramento. In seven starts this year, Pomeranz has also failed to meet expectations as he was sent to the injured list with a mild left lat strain after giving up seven earned runs in 1 2/3 innings in his most recent start.
The Giants activated Pomeranz from the 10-day injured list Sunday ahead of their series-finale against the Diamondbacks, but Bochy indicated the club may be concerned about Pomeranz’s durability as he returns from a near-two week absence.
To clear space for Pomeranz on the 25-man roster, the Giants designated recently acquired outfielder Aaron Altherr for assignment. Altherr received one at-bat after the Giants added the former Phillies outfielder on a waiver claim last week and Bochy admitted it was tough to lose Altherr given his lack of opportunities.
“You just be honest (and tell him), ‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more at-bats. We’re in a position where we have to activate a pitcher,” Bochy said.
The Giants are left to hope Altherr clears waivers so they can outright him to Triple-A Sacramento and help him recover from a 1-for-30 start to the year. Altherr is a powerful right-handed hitter who can play all three outfield positions, so there may be other clubs willing to give him a 25-man roster spot immediately.
Bochy could have another difficult conversation looming in his future as the Giants will need to open up a spot for Suárez on their 25-man roster ahead of their series against Atlanta. Prospect Shaun Anderson is slated to start Tuesday and the only other pitcher on the roster with minor league options is reliever Reyes Moronta, so it’s unclear how the Giants are planning to accommodate Suárez’s arrival.