Pool Photo-USA TODAY NETWORK
SCOTTSDALE — Anthony DeSclafani was on the mound against the Mariners. Provided nothing goes wrong between here and there, the matchup will be run back 16 days from now, when the Giants are playing in Seattle on April 3.
In line to follow Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman in the opening series is the 30-year-old trying to become the next Gausman, a high-octane arm who has shown promise but also ineffectiveness and injuries through his career. The most encouraging sign of Thursday’s start was he said he felt fine after a season in which he opened on the IL then never really got going, posting a 7.22 ERA in 33 2/3 innings.
DeSclafani had some command issues, especially with a changeup that he is trying to throw more, and walked two and hit a batter during his 3 2/3 innings. But he struck out three and surrendered just a run with a fastball that touched 96 mph and a slider that was his best pitch on the night.
“We like his changeup, we also like his slider, and obviously we want to see him continue to throw his fastball in locations that are most effective,” Gabe Kapler said after the 6-3 loss to the Mariners at Scottsdale Stadium. “He’s doing everything we’re asking him to do right now.”
DeSclafani came out pleased and, after 65 pitches, should be ready for early April. There are questions behind him, with Aaron Sanchez set to make his spring debut Friday and Alex Wood recently undergoing a back procedure, but DeSclafani should get the ball at T-Mobile Park in the first series of the campaign.
While he was facing a realistic lineup, he hasn’t dug too deeply into scouting it just yet.
“Today I was just working on the pitches that I want to throw and make a priority, just feeling the timing of my delivery, building up that workload,” DeSclafani said over Zoom. “So [studying Seattle’s hitters] is going to be something closer to the opening series.”
Last year, he was dealing with a mild right teres major strain that pushed his debut into August. He then was dealing with the headaches that come with trying to pitch while your wife is pregnant during a pandemic. He became a dad at the end of August.
This year he is playing with his arsenal a bit differently, downplaying his fastball and upping the offspeed. The clearer mind and the live arm show why he can be this year’s Gausman or Drew Smyly, arms that broke through in the Giants’ system.
They are playing with the pitch usage and continuing a trend for DeSclafani, who has thrown his fastball less frequently each of the past three seasons, the number shrinking to 51.3 percent of the time last year. The early returns could be sharper, but the outlook is bright on March 18.
“I thought he stayed right on track tonight,” Kapler said.