Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants will hope Smoak catches fire.
After releasing Pablo Sandoval on Thursday, San Francisco quickly called up Justin Smoak, the recently signed first-base slugger who essentially replaces the fan favorite as a switch-hitting bat off the bench who hits righties better than lefties.
The Giants also optioned Rico Garcia, who pitched two innings Wednesday, to clear roster space for Drew Smyly, who has been activated and could pitch as soon as in San Diego tonight. Trevor Cahill is getting the start, but his hip has been a concern, and he was not sharp in his last effort, in which he went just 2 2/3 innings. The Giants could pitch the righty three or four innings then ask the same from the lefty Smyly.
Smoak is not in the lineup, though he will be at some point against the Padres, who are throwing four righties against the Giants. On Wednesday the Giants picked up the 33-year-old power bat the Brewers dropped and hoped they could get more out of him.
“Over the last couple years, he’s done a really nice job of seeing pitches and working walks and hitting for power, particularly from the left side,” Gabe Kapler said before Wednesday’s fifth straight victory. “You go back a couple of years, he had some monster years in Toronto.”
Smoak was a Blue Jays All-Star in 2017, then tailed off before struggling mightily this season with Milwaukee (.186/.262/.381). The power is still in his bat, though, and Sandoval had hit just one home run this year.