Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Help is on the way — even if it will complicate a rotation that has stabilized.
Drew Smyly and Jeff Samardzija are set to throw three innings apiece in a sim game Saturday, Gabe Kapler said Friday, which could lead to activations.
How the Giants would employ them, though, will be curious. Johnny Cueto, Kevin Gausman, Logan Webb, Trevor Cahill and Tyler Anderson have mostly been solid, although Cahill (starting Saturday) had a hip concern and Anderson (6.08 ERA in his past four outings) has struggled recently apart from his complete game.
Kapler indicated recently he would not wait for Smyly to be fully built up before turning to the lefty, who impressed in three outings before a strained finger sent him to the IL in early August. It’s possible the Giants will have a three- or four-inning start by Smyly in the next week or ask him to be a bullpen option as his arm gets lengthened.
Samardzija is more complicated because he never got going this year. With velocity that was down and a splitter he wasn’t using because of a blister, the 35-year-old had a 9.88 ERA in three starts before a right shoulder impingement put him on the shelf. The Giants would need to see a better Samardzija in the sim games and bullpen sessions to add him back to the rotation.
If the Giants stay in contention, switching Gausman to the bullpen, from where he has starred in the past, could be an option.
Austin Slater, whom the Giants hope can return this weekend, is “very, very close,” Kapler said.
“He’s been swinging the bat and and throwing a little bit to bases and getting stronger each day in Sacramento,” the manager said over Zoom.
Cahill will make a start a week after exiting his outing early because of hip discomfort. Kapler said he threw at Oracle Park during Thursday’s off day and convinced the Giants he was ready.
“We wanted to see that he could push off, he could land,” said Kapler, whose Giants are pitching Anderson on Friday, Cahill Saturday (against Madison Bumgarner), Cueto Sunday and Gausman on Monday to close the four-game set with the Diamondbacks at Oracle Park.
