© Sergio Estrada | 2021 Aug 13
Jay Jackson will make his first big league start on Saturday versus the Dodgers, tipping off the first of two bullpen games for the Giants — though manager Gabe Kapler doesn’t love that label.
Kapler thinks of it more as covering 27 outs — or at least nine innings — with a bunch of arms. The Dodgers did it last night, holding SF to three runs with 11 pitchers across 11 innings, but the Giants exited Oracle Park deep into the night with a win.
The Giants are going with Jackson as their opener because of Los Angeles’ lineup stacked right-handed power. Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Trea Turner, AJ Pollock and Chris Taylor, notably stand in the batter’s box left of home plate.
Jackson, 33, has posted a career-best 3.24 ERA in 2021 and hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last six outings. But he hasn’t pitched more than 27 pitches or two innings for San Francisco.
Southpaws Sammy Long or José Quintana could replace Jackson whenever he’s spent to give LA a different look. Tyler Rogers, who’s pitched in each of the past three games, is the only reliever unavailable in the second game of the Dodgers series, Kapler said.
“We’ve got plenty of length, I don’t think that’s an issue at all,” Kapler said. “We are left-handed, and again, I don’t think that’s any secret. But I think everybody’s in pretty good shape.”
Because of Johnny Cueto’s right elbow injury and Alex Wood’s positive COVID-19 case, San Francisco won’t have a traditional starter for the series finale Sunday, either.
- Outfielder Alex Dickerson injured his hamstring running to first base Friday night in the 11th inning. Had Buster Posey been called out at first base to extend the game, starter Logan Webb would’ve replaced him in the outfield as an emergency option. Dickerson will hit the injured list, though his scans didn’t reveal anything “overwhelmingly scary,” Kapler said. The Giants called up Mauricio Dubón in a corresponding move, and he’ll start at shortstop Saturday to give Brandon Crawford a day off.
- Alex Wood is still experiencing COVID-19 symptoms including a fever and chills Kapler said. He hit the COVID injured list four days ago. Donovan Solano, meanwhile, is doing better much better and could fly back to San Francisco Sunday. Solano still can’t taste or smell, and will have to ramp up activity before returning, but an encouraging update for him.