Giants notes: Hicks’ bullpen move is imminent; Hill brings spark originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LOS ANGELES — The Giants maneuvered their schedule so that Jordan Hicks got just one start over 20 days this month, a breather they hoped would lead to renewed life on the right-hander’s pitches. His velocity was, in fact, better on Tuesday, but the results still weren’t there.
The original plan was to give Hicks one more start on Sunday and then meet to discuss his role for August and September. After Hicks gave up four runs and admitted his body still feels “a little worn down,” the Giants will accelerate those talks, possibly moving Hicks to the bullpen this weekend.
Because of a doubleheader on Saturday, this is a two-part discussion. It’s clear that Hicks is ready for a role change, but the only other option for Sunday’s game would be Alex Cobb, who originally was supposed to make one more Triple-A rehab start before returning to the big leagues next week.
The Giants have Logan Webb going Thursday, Kyle Harrison on Friday, and Hayden Birdsong and Blake Snell on Saturday. Robbie Ray, who threw five no-hit innings in his season debut, wouldn’t be ready again until Tuesday.
“We talked to (Hicks) today. It’s just a matter of what we need on Sunday,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We’re going to have two starters on Saturday and there’s going to be a need for a starter on Sunday. If it is him, we’ll probably shorten it a little bit, because he’s getting a little worn down, as we’ve seen.”
Jordan Hicks explained what he learned from tonight’s difficult start to begin the second half pic.twitter.com/ssUfc6lRMu
SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 24, 2024
Hicks, who transitioned to starting in the offseason, has thrown 98 2/3 innings and is already 21 past his previous career-high. If he makes one more start, it might be just for about three innings, but after that the Giants will back him down until he’s back in a short-relief role.
If the other starters can stay healthy, the move should be a boost to a bullpen that has been massively overworked. Hicks saved 32 games in his first five seasons before returning to starting. The Giants always knew the first year would include a move back to the bullpen, although they’re hopeful that Hicks can finish around 120 innings or so and set himself up for another big jump next season, when he’ll be back in the rotation.
For now, Hicks is just trying to finish strong as a starter.
“I figured this one might be my last one or the next one,” he said Tuesday. “I knew it was one or two more. I tried to leave it all out there and if I get another one I’ll go battle and hopefully have a good outing. But as we get closer to making this next start or don’t, we’ll have a good game plan for how that looks in the bullpen.”
New Giants outfielder Derek Hill looked right at home as he sat down in the dugout Wednesday, which wasn’t a surprise. Hill’s father is a former scout who worked for the Dodgers and was responsible for their selection of Joc Pederson in 2010.
The younger Hill played at Elk Grove High in Northern California before getting taken 23rd overall in the 2014 draft by the Detroit Tigers. He has a .615 OPS in parts of five big league seasons but is a strong defender and one of the faster players in the league.
“I’m excited to come in and fill the role,” he said. “I’ll give a little spark where I can.”
Hill takes over the spot previously occupied by Austin Slater, who was dealt to Cincinnati earlier this month. The Giants optioned Luis Matos on Wednesday and believe the 28-year-old Hill is a better fit for the part-time role.
Nick Ahmed had been back home in Arizona since the Giants released him, working out and waiting for an opportunity to get back to the big leagues. It came against his former teammates.
With Miguel Rojas dealing with a forearm strain and starter Mookie Betts still a long way from returning from a fractured hand, the Dodgers signed Ahmed on Wednesday and put him right in the lineup at shortstop. Melvin found out when he looked down at the lineup card Wednesday and saw his former shortstop in the nine hole.
“It surprised me a little bit,” Melvin said. “I know it’s a great opportunity for him. We wish him the best, maybe not these two games, but I’m glad he’s back in the big leagues.”
Ahmed was 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in his first game back. Between 1950 and 2021, only two players — Dick Schofield and Mark Sweeney — appeared in a game for the Giants and Dodgers in the same season. It has now happened in three of the last four years, with Ahmed joining reliever Jimmy Sherfy (2021) and catcher Austin Wynns (2023).
For the second time in three days, a fly ball dropped between two outfielders. On Monday it was a double that Heliot Ramos and Matos miscommunicated on, and on Wednesday both Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski backed off a high fly ball to right-center that dropped for an RBI double.
Ramos will end up in a corner long-term, but the Giants committed to him in center this year. Asked if inexperience was to blame, Melvin pointed out that Ramos has been playing center field for a while now.
“The center fielder has got to take charge,” he said. “If you call it, you’ve got to go get it, but he knows that.”
“That’s something you can never do.”@G_Kontos shares his perspective on Erik Miller’s reaction to the Giants’ outfield error pic.twitter.com/PPnwtBu65R
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