Giants rained out
1 The Giants-Nationals game in Washington was rained out Friday, postponing a potential Hunter Strickland-Bryce Harper reunion.
WASHINGTON — Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he wouldn’t hesitate using reliever Hunter Strickland against Bryce Harper this weekend.
Strickland said it wouldn’t be an issue facing Harper for the first time since their May 29 brawl in San Francisco.
“I’ve got a job to do against whatever hitter’s in the box,” Strickland said Friday.
Strickland served a six-game suspension for throwing at Harper in the last series between the teams, and Harper served three games for charging the mound. The incident came three years after Harper screamed at Strickland after hitting a home run in the 2014 NL Division Series.
“I think everybody’s past it,” Strickland said. “We did the consequences and moved forward. Both teams are here to play ball.”
Nationals manager Dusty Baker was asked about possible carryover.
“That’s a long time, but it was a long time between the (2014) playoffs and the last time (in May), so who knows?” Baker said. “It’s kind of on (Strickland). Bryce, he’s not pitching. There’s nothing we can do to him. He probably won’t get an at-bat. So what are you going to do? You just play.”
Strickland drilled Harper with a first-pitch fastball, and Harper ran toward Strickland and threw his helmet. They exchanged haymakers, each connecting. Both got ejected.
As the combatants faced off, Giants teammates Michael Morse and Jeff Samardzija rushed to the scene and accidentally knocked heads, and Morse has had continuing concussion symptoms as a result.
Morse hasn’t played since and will visit the Giants’ clubhouse in Miami on Tuesday and get checked out by the medical department. It’s likely he won’t play again. Melancon’s return: Reliever Mark Melancon (pronator strain) is expected to be activated from the disabled list Saturday, but he won’t immediately return to the closer’s role.
Bochy plans to use Melancon, who hasn’t pitched since June 27, in a lower-leverage situation at first.
In Melancon’s absence, the closer’s role has belonged to Sam Dyson, who was acquired from the Rangers and debuted with the Giants June 11.
In 23 games, Dyson has a 2.22 ERA with eight saves in nine opportunities.