GIANTS’ OPENING DAY STARTER IN THE AIR
Cueto, Gausman are both lined against the Mariners for opener
For much of spring training, Giants veteran Johnny Cueto has pitched a day ahead of fellow right-hander Kevin Gausman, a hint that Cueto could be in line for his second consecutive Opening Day start.
Gausman, however, isn’t out of the running for the nod yet.
The Giants will send Gausman to Camelback Ranch in Glendale Monday to face the Chicago White Sox after Cueto throws a five-inning simulated game in the morning at Scottsdale Stadium.
Monday’s schedule marks the first time Cueto and Gausman are scheduled to throw extensively on the same day since the beginning of Cactus League play. The decision gives the Giants some flexibility as to who will open the season on the mound on April 1 against the Mariners, but manager Gabe Kapler indicated an official call is near.
“There’s no hide the ball here,” Kapler told reporters Sunday following a 10-4 win over the Dodgers.
Cueto, 35, is the more accomplished pitcher and started on
Opening Day for the Giants in Los Angeles last season. Gausman, 30, is coming off a better season as he led the Giants’ staff last year with a 3.62 ERA in 12 games.
“Obviously, it would be a huge honor,” Gausman said last week. “At the same time, I’ll feel honored just taking the ball in any one of the first five games and being one of those top five guys. But yeah, it would be a lot of fun.”
Gausman last started on Opening Day in 2017, when he took the ball for the Baltimore Orioles against the Toronto Blue Jays and threw 5 1/3 innings of tworun ball in a 3-2 victory.
Both pitchers could become free agents at the end of the season as Cueto is entering the sixth and final guaranteed year of a $130 million contract he signed in December, 2015 while Gausman returned to San Francisco after accepting a one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offer during the offseason.
The Giants are not likely to pick up a $22 million club option to retain Cueto in 2022 and appear destined to pay him a $5 million buyout.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi indicated early in the offseason the team had interest in discussing a longterm deal with Gausman, but the pitcher confirmed after his most recent outing the club has not had any serious conversations in recent weeks.
Regardless of whether Cueto or Gausman takes the ball on Opening Day, the pitcher who doesn’t will likely start the second game of the season. Anthony DeSclafani, who signed a oneyear, $6 million deal to join the Giants this offseason, is currently lined up to start the third and final game of the team’s season-opening series in Seattle.
The Giants haven’t announced any formal plans for their rotation, in part because left-hander Alex Wood has been dealing with a back injury while righty Aaron Sanchez has only made one Cactus League start after missing the entire 2020 season while recovering from shoulder surgery.