No closer controversy

LOS ANGELES — Bruce Bochy did not hesitate a second when asked Saturday if Mark Melancon will be the closer as soon as he returns from his forearm injury.

“Yes,” Bochy said, scotching any notion that Melancon’s injury and Sam Dyson’s perfection in save chances would place Melancon’s role at risk.

Bochy did not say it, but the Giants paid Melancon $62 million to be their closer for four years and will not demote him to the eighth inning in his first season in San Francisco.

Melancon is almost ready to come back from his second disabled list stint, which has lasted a month. He is scheduled for a rehab appearance Sunday at Class A San Jose.

Dyson, who saved 38 games

for the Rangers last year, has a 2.33 ERA and has converted all six save opportunities since the Giants acquired him from Texas in June.

Where the outside world sees a potential closer controversy, Bochy sees a bullpen strengthened all the way down the line, beginning with Melancon pitching the ninth and Dyson the eighth.

“It’s going to be good to see how that goes,” Bochy said. “It will put (Hunter) Strickland down into the seventh inning. This is going to tighten up the bullpen, strengthen us and

give us a better idea of where we’re at for the future.”

That future includes lefthander Will Smith, assuming he’s back from Tommy John surgery in April as he hopes.

Bochy also has slowly raised rookie Kyle Crick’s profile in the bullpen. He might get some more dangerous roles, for instance with runners in scoring position when a strikeout is needed.

Briefly: Catcher Nick Hundley was scratched because he was dizzy a day after taking a foul ball to the mask. After Saturday’s game he said he felt better. … First baseman Brandon Belt missed his second consecutive game with rightwrist soreness and said he still did not feel great swinging a bat in the cage. But he still hopes to be available Sunday. … The Giants signed righthanded pitcher Casey Kelly to a minor-league deal. Kelly was a first-round pick for the Red Sox in 2008 but has thrown only 62 big-league innings with a 6.39 ERA.