Bullpen competition takes center stage at Giants camp
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. >> This time last year, Juan Sánchez wasn't on anybody's radar.
Five years since signing as a relatively unknown prospect out of Venezuela, Sánchez hadn't pitched above Single-A. The few major-league spring training games he appeared in, it was in relative anonymity, one of the many players sent over from minorleague camp to play out the final innings once the big leaguers had subbed out.
That is no longer the case.
Sánchez's place squarely in the competition for a roster spot was only solidified Wednesday, appearing alongside the only two lefthanded relievers remaining in camp — besides Taylor Rogers — and putting up the only scoreless frame among them in a slugfest of a loss, 19-11, to the Reds.
“With the conditions today, that's something,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Typically in spring training you get games like this. It's tough to evaluate, but obviously he had the best day of the guys . ... He's been really impressive.”
Using a crossfire motion from the left side, not unlike Ryan Walker from the opposite angle, Sánchez sat in the mid-90s with his fastball, landed his slurvy breaking ball for strikes and recorded all three of his outs, including a swinging strikeout, with his changeup, which he called his best pitch.
Sánchez's scoreless ninth lowered his ERA in five spring appearances to 1.50, with eight strikeouts to no walks, and came after his primary competitors, lefties Ethan Small and Amir Garrett, combined to allow six runs on seven hits in the previous three innings.
Garrett, the most experienced of the bunch, has a 14.73 ERA in four appearances this spring, allowing runs in all but one of his outings. Small, 27, had allowed one run and struck out six batters over his first two outings but was tagged for five runs and a pair of homers.
“I like all of them,” Melvin said before the game. “And all of them kind of do a little bit different things.
“Ethan can get righties out and can give you length. Garrett's probably more of a matchup leftytype guy. And Sánchez has just pitched really well and probably come out of the pack to where maybe he originally wasn't looked at like the other two guys are. It's nice to see them all pitch on the same day in the same conditions.”
Although still only 23 years old, Sánchez has taken the long road since he was discovered by longtime Giants scout Edgar Fernández.
Other members of his signing class include Julio Rodriguez, Wander Franco and Ezequiel Tovar, of the Dominican Republic, and Osleivis Basabe, of Venezuela.
While they were making names for themselves in the show, Sánchez was grinding his way through every level of the minor leagues, finding consistent success at each stop. He started at the lowest rung of the minor league ladder, the Dominican Summer League, and only reached Triple-A for the first time in the second half of last season.
The only levels he has posted ERAs above 4.00 have been Single-A San Jose, where he also had a 30% strikeout rate to only a 6% walk rate, and his introduction last season to Triple-A Sacramento, where he still performed above average for the hitter-friendly league despite being five years younger than his average competition.
“The process has been really hard,” he said through Spanish-language interpreter Erwin Higueros, crediting his parents, Jose Sanchez and Yolany Garcia, for supporting him throughout the process despite separating when he was young. “My mom and my dad, they always sacrificed a lot for me. The main motivation is my mom and my dad.”
Now on the cusp of the major leagues, a snapshot exists of just how far Sánchez has come.
The measurements on his biography page list him at 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds. Informed of this, Sánchez laughed and held up his pinkie.
“That was when I was in the Dominican, I was like this,” he said, gesturing to his smallest finger. “Skinny.”
Now, Sánchez stands 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 210 pounds. It's a little easier for him to catch the manager's eye.
“He's pitched really well,” Melvin said. “He's been really impressive.” BAILEY'S X-RAYS A `RELIEF' >> After being forced from Tuesday's game against the Dodgers by a foul ball that struck him in his throwing hand, Patrick Bailey isn't expected to be out of action long.
“Which is a relief,” Melvin said.
Bailey was still unable to make a fist Wednesday morning, according to Melvin, but the swelling and discoloration had subsided. Bailey underwent Xrays, which showed there was no fracture. It will be “a few days” before he gets into a game again, Melvin said, but he should still be on track for Opening Day.
“Hopefully we caught a break there,” Melvin said. “We're just glad it wasn't worse.”
HARRISON GOES FIVE >> Throwing 70 pitches Tuesday at the Giants' minorleague complex, Kyle Harrison became their first pitcher this spring to complete five innings. Perhaps to spare his victims, Harrison said he couldn't recall the number of minor leaguers he struck out but said Will Wilson got him on a first-pitch fastball in his final frame for a home run.
Harrison focused on his secondary offerings — primarily his changeup — which he said has been the biggest positive so far this spring.
“It's been feeling great,” Harrison said. “I've been able to keep it down over the plate. That's something I worked so hard on this offseason, something I've tried my whole career to throw.”
Getting his work in at Papago Park prevented him from facing the Dodgers' `A' lineup featuring a top three of Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman. Harrison faced the Dodgers, though few of their regulars, in his previous start and could face them again in the first week of the regular season.
“I'm gonna see them enough,” Harrison said. “I think it was the smart decision. That way I can come out throwing bullets at them. Who knows, they might not know what's coming.”
MORE CUTS >> Six more players were optioned or reassigned to the minor leagues, bringing the total number left in big-league camp to 47.
Most notable of the cuts was Wade Meckler, who had been off to a hot start at the plate, batting .423 (11-for-26) while ranking among the team leaders in RBIs (nine) and stolen bases (three), but the 23-year-old also made multiple defensive miscues in the outfield.