© Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — Since March 27, The San Francisco Giants knew there was a chance they’d be without Mark Melancon to start the season. However, Hunter Strickland didn’t know he’d be named their closer until the afternoon of Opening Day, shortly after it was announced that Melancon was being placed on the 10-day disabled list.
“We were just going over the hitters and their lineup and stuff,” Strickland said. “I had no idea. It was just one of those things where [Bochy] was just letting everybody know what we’re going to start off doing and go over their lineup.”
Coming into Thursday evening, Strickland had put up impressive numbers during spring training. In 7.1 scoreless innings, he recorded eight strikeouts with only one hit and two walks allowed.
“You know Hunter, there was no reaction,” Bochy said when asked how Strickland responded to being named closer. “‘Let’s go.’ That was his reaction. ‘Let’s go. I’m ready.’”
It’s hard to say that anyone is ready to be thrown into a one-run game in the ninth inning in front of an Opening Day crowd at Dodgers Stadium, but Strickland showed incredible poise on the mound after giving up a leadoff single to Matt Kemp. He went on to retire the next three in a row to earn his first save of the season.
“Honestly, it’s just a job to do,” Strickland said. “I think that it’s unfortunate that we lost Mark. We missed him last year as well, so hopefully he can come back as soon as possible, but at the end of the day I still have a job to do and that’s what I’m trying to do.”