LOS ANGELES — The welcome daps returned for the Giants in the visitor’s clubhouse Wednesday in Dodger Stadium.
Logan Webb dished out the first one. Then Scott Alexander. Evan Longoria handed one out. Around the room they went, until the biggest high-five: Lewis Brinson.
The newest Giant, Luis Ortiz, played with Brinson in Texas and Milwaukee. Both former first round picks were included in the same trade that brought catcher Jonathan Lucroy to the Rangers.
Now, with Ortiz, 26, activated to provide bullpen help in a brutal schedule stretch, the righty reliever and flashy outfielder are reunited as locker neighbors. They represent an organizational objective to take fliers on former top prospects, hoping their talent can shine through and prove they belong in the bigs.
“It’s another layer, and it has to do with how a player was evaluated as an amateur and how he was evaluated as he was coming up through the minor leagues,” manager Gabe Kapler said pregame. “And the more positive evaluations you have, the more conviction you have in putting a player out there on the mound.”
Ortiz, who’s from Sangar, CA, signed with the Giants this offseason as a minor-league free agent. He’s posted a 4.66 ERA mostly as a reliever and will make his Giants debut this week.
Bryce Johnson, who was sent down to Triple-A in a corresponding move, said Ortiz hardly ever walked batters when they played together in Sacramento. Kapler confirmed the scouting report.
“Been an excellent strike-thrower recently,” Kapler said. “He’s actually been an excellent strike-thrower for most of his career, but I’d say since June he’s been especially good. Missing some bats — not a guy that’s going to come in and overpower anybody. But we really respect the ability to get in the zone and stay in the zone around here. I think it gives us our best chance to be successful as pitchers.”
In the Giants organization, Ortiz is throwing more sinkers than four-seamers, he said. Things clicked for him after a slow start. The righty hasn’t allowed a run for the River Cats since June, a run of dominance he attributes to more confidence.
“For me, it’s just mental,” Ortiz said. “The mental part. Just believing in myself and knowing I can do anything I put my mind to. That’s been a game-changer.”
Ortiz joins the Giants one day after they ran out a bullpen game in a week that the staff will have to cover an abundance of innings. After Wednesday’s day game, SF flies to Milwaukee for a double-header. Jakob Junis will cover bulk innings in one of those two games, but most every other decision will depend on how the bullpen comes out of the Dodgers finale.
San Francisco is hoping Ortiz — who last pitched in MLB for Baltimore three years ago — could give some coverage.
Ortiz grew up a Giants fan, with favorite players like Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Todd Linden. The one game he attended on the shores of McCovey Cove: Travis Ishikawa’s walk-off in Game 5 of the 2014 NLCS.
Many of his friends growing up in the Central Valley were Dodgers fans, giving him a unique perspective as he enters the Dodgers-Giants rivalry Wednesday.
Ortiz learned of his call-up at 11:30 Tuesday night. Earlier, his River Cats played a game in 112-degree heat. The power actually blew out before the game, knocking out the lights and air conditioning.
The comforts of Dodger Stadium, even against LA’s lethal lineup, should be kinder.
- Kapler mentioned Sean Hjelle as a possibility to join the team in Milwaukee, since the Giants get an extra roster spot for the doubleheader.
- After opening Tuesday’s game with a scoreless inning, John Brebbia went back to the team hotel. Kapler said the Giants are emphasizing trying to find creative ways to help guys recover. Sending them ahead on road trips or back early from games after pitching could become more common as the year progresses.
- For the series finale against Los Angeles — SF’s final game at Dodger Stadium of 2022 — David Villar returns to first base, Thairo Estrada slides to shortstop, and Brinson is back in the leadoff spot against Clayton Kershaw.