Giants’ closer Will Smith joining a new team: The National League All-Star squad

SAN FRANCISCO — It’s unclear what team one of the Giants’ top trade candidates, Will Smith, will be playing for in August, but Smith already knows he’ll be joining a new roster on July 9.

The Giants closer was named as San Francisco’s lone representative on the National League All-Star team on Sunday, marking his first career All-Star nod.

Smith has started his season with 21 saves in 21 opportunities and is eight saves shy of breaking Rod Beck’s franchise record of 28 consecutive saves to open the 1994 season.

The quiet manner in which Smith has turned the ninth into a low-stress inning has done wonders for manager Bruce Bochy.

“It’s been pretty nice,” Bochy said this week. “I’ve dealt with (Brian) Wilson, who did a great job, but he made it scary sometimes. (Sergio) Romo could make it a little scary. Or (Santiago) Casilla, especially, could keep you on the edge of your seat. But Will, knock on wood, I don’t want to jinx him, I’d say 90 percent of them have been really, really quiet ones. That’s a good thing for a manager.”

The left-hander owns a 2.16 ERA in 34 appearances this season and is striking out a career-best 13.8 batters per nine innings. Smith has been a model of consistency in the Giants’ bullpen and has played a significant role in helping the club to a 17-9 record in one-run games.

The Giants traded for Smith at the 2016 deadline in a deal that sent former first round pick Phil Bickford and catcher Andrew Susac to the Milwaukee Brewers. Susac recorded five hits in 29 at-bats in parts of two seasons with the Brewers while Bickford has yet to advance past Single-A in Milwaukee’s farm system.

Smith was one of the Giants’ best relievers at the end of the 2016 season, but missed all of 2017 after tearing his UCL in his pitching elbow during spring training. Upon returning from Tommy John surgery, Smith regained his previous form and eventually took over as the Giants’ closer last June.

Since assuming one of the most difficult roles in baseball, Smith has thrived.

“He missed a lot of time and I think as he gets a little further away (from surgery), it’s enabled him to get stronger,” Bochy said. “That’s what he’s shown this year. We’ve used him a ton. Three in a row and he just maintains his stuff. He’s gotten better as a pitcher.”

In many seasons, Smith’s numbers would make him a leading candidate to pitch the ninth inning of the All-Star Game if the National League was presented with a save situation. However, Padres closer Kirby Yates is the likely front-runner for that job as he’s 27-for-28 in save opportunities with a 1.31 ERA in 2019.

With the Giants sitting 12 games under .500 and Smith earning recognition as one of the top relievers in all of baseball, it’s unlikely he’ll remain with the club past the trade deadline. Smith’s trade value has skyrocketed in recent weeks, especially as many contending teams deal with consistency issues in their bullpen.

Smith, the Giants’ 2018 Willie Mac Award winner, will be tough to replace in the closer role and in his capacity as a clubhouse leader.