Kareem Elgazzar-Imagn Content Services, LLC
On the Oracle Park mound before Sunday’s game was a peek at what the Giants hope is a future addition this season, and the same was set to take the Sutter Health Park mound, too.
Logan Webb threw a sim game and is expected to begin a rehab assignment this week, while Tyler Beede was set to start his 11th game with Triple-A Sacramento.
Webb threw 20 pitches before the Giants and A’s finished up their Bay Bridge Series, watched by Gabe Kapler, pitching coach Andrew Bailey and plenty of minds around the Giants — including Kevin Gausman, who took a front-row seat to watch his catch partner throw all of his pitches to Mike Tauchman.
“Heat came out good. Sprayed it a little bit, didn’t have great command, but that’s to be expected first time out,” Kapler said of Webb, who has been out with a right shoulder strain since May 29. “His arm looked good, stayed in his delivery. That’s a good step.”
The next step will be building up with an affiliate, likely Sacramento, which is where Beede has been working since May 6.
Pitchers coming back from Tommy John surgery can apply for three 10-day extensions for their rehab assignments, and the Giants have used the final 10-day re-up that will make his stay with the River Cats two months long. Command is often the last thing to return to a pitcher after that operation, which has been the case for the 28-year-old. Beede has walked 25 in 27 1/3 innings, with stuff that encourages but control an obvious issue.
In his previous start, the 2014 first-round pick allowed five runs — just one earned — in three innings Monday, in which he allowed five hits and walked three. He threw 83 pitches, his high so far, but could not do it efficiently. He should have two more rehab starts in him, including Sunday’s, before the Giants would have to add him to their 40-man roster, yet another roster decision in a season in which the club’s depth has shined and thus made each decision uneasy.
Brandon Crawford leapt past the Dodgers’ Corey Seager to become the NL’s third-leading vote-getter at shortstop, and Mike Yastrzemski bolted into ninth among NL outfielders, thus both will join Buster Posey, the leading NL catcher, in the next round of All-Star voting. The next phase begins Monday and ends Thursday as they sort out the position-player starters.
The Giants have valued rest, especially for their veterans, this season, but Kapler would not stand in the way of the honor.
“It’s the All-Star Game, right? It’s kind of worth it,” the manager said. “Guys work really hard to stand out and, obviously, those things are still hanging in the balance. But I don’t have concerns about that.”
Speaking of Posey, he was back in the lineup and feeling better, Kapler said, after two days off with a tight lower back. Curt Casali, whose back acted up Saturday, too, is OK, Kapler said, though he wanted to check in with him again.
A couple fun pitching matchups for the two-game set at Dodger Stadium:
Monday: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (8-2, 2.77) vs. RHP Trevor Bauer (7-5, 2.57).
Tuesday: RHP Kevin Gausman (8-1, 1.49) vs. RHP Walker Buehler (7-1, 2.51).