Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
MESA, Ariz. — Among the non-roster invites, no one has made a stronger case to open on the Giants’ roster than Nick Tropeano.
“You got to put yourself in a good position to make them make a hard decision,” the 30-year-old said Friday, “and I think I put myself in a pretty good position, knock on wood, and we’ll see what happens.”
What likely will happen is the swing man gets added to the roster.
Most of his six years in the majors have come as a starter, but he excelled with a new pitch mix as a Pirates reliever last year. This season, the Giants see him as an option for both roles and perhaps their best bulk-inning reliever, led by a splitter they want him to increasingly throw.
Tropeano has had an excellent camp, though he had some hiccups in what may be his final tune-up, allowing two runs on three hits with a walk, while striking out two, in two innings against the Cubs.
“I didn’t think I commanded [my breaking ball] as good as I should have, especially compared to my previous outings. It was more a ball out of the hand today as opposed to a strike,” Tropeano said over Zoom after the 5-5 tie at Sloan Park. “I think that’s an easy adjustment, I think my timing was just a little off. … I feel like all my stuff is playing real well, so we’re just going to continue with it.”
The stats back it up, now having allowed three runs in 10 spring innings. If Alex Wood (who’s expected to throw a sim inning Saturday) is not ready to start the year, and if Aaron Sanchez isn’t built up yet, it’s easy to envision Sanchez and Tropeano tag-teaming a start.
Or he can be available for two or three innings in games previous to Sanchez’s start. Or as a one-inning guy. He did some of everything last year with Pittsburgh, when he allowed two runs in 15 1/3 innings with 19 strikeouts.
Because he signed a minor league deal, he would need to be added to the 40-man, which means the Giants would have to make space for him. Cases can be made for Shun Yamaguchi, Dominic Leone and Zack Littell, too, but none has been as effective or projects as valuably as Tropeano.
He does not throw particularly hard, his fastball fortunate to hit 91 mph. But as so much of the Giants’ staff, it’s his secondary weapons — an excellent splitter and quality slider — that he relies upon.
“With respect to the roster considerations, I’m not sure that this outing in particular had any significant impact,” Gabe Kapler said, which should encourage Tropeano. “But what I’ll say is his body of work has been good, and he’s put his best foot forward and done a nice job for us overall.”
The next step should be the Giants deciding who goes if Tropeano stays.
“I feel like I’m ready for the season,” Tropeano said.
Evan Longoria (plantar fasciitis) went 0-for-3 as designated hitter. He is expected to make his debut at third base on Saturday against the Mariners.
Earlier Friday, Wood (ablation procedure on his lower back) was listed as an expected pitcher in Saturday’s game, set to make his return. The Giants had a change of plans, and now Wood is set to throw in a sim game.
“We just felt like it was easier to control that way,” Kapler said.
Especially with the Giants viewing Sanchez as, right now, the fifth starter, it is unlikely Wood will open on the active roster.
Joey Bart continued his torrid spring, smoking an RBI double. The catcher is slashing .440/.481/.720 in 26 plate appearances.