SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Giants placed Kyle Harrison on the 15-day injured list Sunday after the left-handed starter, according to manager Bob Melvin, sprained his right ankle the day before as he worked out in the team’s weight room.
Harrison was scheduled to start Sunday, but left-hander Erik Miller got the nod for San Francisco’s series finale against the Los Angeles Angels instead. He pitched one inning in a 13-6 win for the Giants, who salvaged the final game of a three-game set before they started a six-game road trip on Monday against the Chicago Cubs.
Melvid said Harrison rolled his ankle Saturday as he was going through his normal routine in preparation for what would have been his 15th start of the season. The injury was severe enough, Melvin said, that a stint on the IL was unavoidable.
Sunday’s transaction was retroactive to Thursday. Also Sunday, the Giants selected Spencer Bivens from Triple-A Sacramento, and fellow right-hander Nick Avila was released.
“I’m not sure what the timing will be,” Melvin said in terms of when Harrison might be able to return, “but obviously not ideal.”
The Giants are already without starters Blake Snell (left groin strain), Alex Cobb (left hip surgery), and Robbie Ray (Tommy John surgery). Snell, who threw a bullpen session and a simulated inning on Saturday, could return later this month, while Cobb and Ray are not expected back until the second half of the season.
Harrison was coming off one of his stronger starts of 2024, as he threw just 77 pitches in 6 1/3 innings on Monday against the Houston Astros, allowing just four hits and one earned run in a 4-3 Giants win.
In 14 starts this season, Harrison, in his second big league season, has thrown a combined 77 1/3 innings, second on the Giants pitching staff behind Logan Webb (92 1/3 innings). The San Jose native and De La Salle High School graduate has a 4-3 record this year with a 3.96 ERA.
“It’s a blow,” Melvin said. “You’re obviously always (talking) about how you can never have too much starting pitching, and you’re seeing why. We do have some guys coming back, although it’s probably going to take a little while.
“Kyle’s been really consistent for us. In the meantime, we’re trying to figure out another way around it. You’ll probably see a little bit more bullpen, especially today.”
Harrison’s last win as a starter came on May 18. In his last four starts, Harrison was 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA, although in that time, he has just three walks to go with 19 strikeouts.
“He’s disappointed, for sure,” Melvin said of Harrison. “Sometimes these things just happen. It could happen anywhere. But working and getting ready for a start, to happen like that is very disappointing.”
WADE UPDATE: Melvin said LaMonte Wade Jr. (left hamstring strain) is joining the Giants on their road trip but will likely not be able to play in the “Tribute to the Negro Leagues” game against the Cardinals on Thursday at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.
Wade was injured in a May 27 game against the Phillies on a slide into second base. An MRI later revealed a Grade 2 strain, and Wade was placed on the 10-day IL the next day.
Wade was slated to run the bases for the first time Monday in Chicago, and Melvin said he will probably start a rehab assignment after Thursday’s game.
“I just don’t know how we fit it in at this point,” Melvin said of a rehab assignment. “Having tweaked the hamstring and now pulled it, it’s another one we want to be pretty careful about. So we’ll see how we get there, I’m not ruling anything out, but it’s probably going to be pretty tough for him to play in that game.”
With Wade out of the lineup, the Giants, including Sunday’s 13-6 win, are 7-10 since his injury.
“We’ve picked up the slack a little bit for him,” Melvin said Sunday morning. “We were playing pretty good baseball until the last couple of days, and I expect this to continue that. But it will be nice to get him back. Obviously, he’s one of the best left-handed hitters in baseball.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com