PHOENIX, Ariz.–You can officially buy your tickets.
On Tuesday evening, Giants’ manager Bruce Bochy announced that 13th year veteran Matt Cain will start Saturday’s contest against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park, marking what is all but certain to be the final start of Cain’s career in San Francisco.
“With what he’s done for the Giant organization, he’s (Cain) been here since day one with me and so I wanted him to make a start at home and so Saturday I think is the best day,” Bochy said. “I’m sure it’s going to be an emotional time for him but there isn’t anything that’s been etched in stone in what’s going to happen, but I think it’s just important for us and for Matt to have a start there in his last homestand.”
Cain has made 330 starts in a San Francisco Giants’ uniform, but even at the tail end of one of the worst seasons in franchise history, his 331st should be one of the most anticipated of his career. A three-time World Series champion, Cain has worn the Giants uniform since 2005, making three All-Star appearances with the team and serving as an anchor at the top of the Giants’ rotation during the team’s first two title runs.
Even though Cain began the year in the Giants’ rotation, he was moved to the bullpen in July and has made four relief appearances during the second half of the season. Cain hasn’t appeared in a game since August 31, but the Giants have worked over the last several weeks to prepare him for one final start.
“It feels good and they kind of gave me the heads up a few days ago,” Cain said. “Rags (Dave Righetti) has been trying to get me off the mound as much as I could and even last week, maybe a little bullpen session and just try to keep the feeling and what it’s like to get me off the mound and just stay as sharp as you could. And we’ve tried to throw a few longer bullpens just to make sure the arm strength is feeling fine and all of that is going well, so you know, I feel fine, I feel good going into it and it’s nice to be back on a normal routine through the years that I’ve been used to.”
Cain said he hasn’t thought about how he’ll feel when he takes the mound, but he said he’s focused on giving the Giants an opportunity to win.
“Not exactly, I think the biggest thing is just to go out and feel confident in my stuff and know that I’ve got pitches to work with and the biggest thing is to compete and that’s the best thing that I can do when I’m out there on the mound is compete and let the ability come out however it comes out and make adjustments as quick as you can,” Cain said. “Those have been my main goals, really.”
Through the first eight seasons of Cain’s career, he compiled a 3.27 earned run average and picked up 85 wins despite earning a reputation for consistently receiving poor run support. Cain always found a way to rise above, and in the Giants’ biggest moments, Cain turned in his greatest performances.
He’s the only pitcher in franchise history with a perfect game, and he also has a career 2.10 postseason ERA in eight starts.
Over the past five years, Cain has battled injuries and a velocity drop, but on Tuesday, Bochy credited the Dothan, Alabama native for providing the Giants with a consistent presence throughout his career.
“Matt’s been great through all of this and providing leadership and of course, what he’s brought to us on the field,” Bochy said. “This is going to be a special day I think. Sure for him, but for all of us.”
Cain hasn’t determined what’s in store for his future, or whether he’ll pursue an opportunity with another club after the Giants’ decline his option for 2018, but he reiterated on Tuesday how grateful he’s been for the opportunity to pitch for San Francisco.
Because there’s a possibility that Cain continues to pitch, the Giants won’t treat Saturday like a retirement ceremony, but the Giants’ CEO, Larry Baer, has indicated that the franchise will find a way to acknowledge what Cain has meant to the organization through the years.
With Cain taking Saturday’s slot in the rotation, Bochy said rookie Chris Stratton will pitch on Friday, and indicated the team plans to use Johnny Cueto on Sunday. While Bochy wouldn’t commit to starting Cueto, he said that’s the tentative plan.
As a result of the rotation shakeup, Madison Bumgarner’s season appears to be over. The Giants’ ace threw 7.2 innings of one-run ball in Saturday’s win over the Dodgers, and after a frustrating season that featured a shoulder sprain that wiped out nearly half of Bumgarner’s potential starts, Bochy wanted the lefty to finish the year on a positive note.
“Great game there in LA, with all that happened this year and the rehab, you know what, that’s enough,” Bochy said. “I really want to keep Stratton on a normal rotation too so that helps that out with Matty going Saturday. We have the coverage and so this makes a lot of sense to me and so that’s why I decided to go this way.”