KAZMIR PITCHES IN MAJORS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2016

Late Friday night, Gabe Kapler called old teammate Scott Kazmir with wonderful news: The veteran lefthander was needed in San Francisco to start the next day.

The Giants called up the 37-year-old Kazmir from Triple-a Sacramento to make his first big-league appearance since 2016, when he went 10-6 with a 4.56 ERA over 26 starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who just so happened to be his opponent Saturday at Oracle Park.

“It was actually pretty gratifying to be able to deliver

Dodgers 6, Giants 3

that to him and actually through the phone I could tell that he was smiling,” said Kapler, who played with Kazmir for Tampa Bay in 2009.

Kazmir quickly surrendered a two-out splash homer to Max Muncy in the first inning — the ball into Mccovey Cove beyond right field traveled an estimated 423 feet with an exit velocity of 108.2 mph in a game the Dodgers won 6-3.

Kazmir pitched four innings, allowing only one run and two hits. He walked none, struck out two and exited after 55 pitches against the World Series champions.

“It’s been a long journey for him and really kind of proud,” Kapler said before the game. “He and I were teammates a long time ago and I know that the journey hasn’t been the easiest one for him. It’s a pretty cool story.”

Highly touted when he was drafted in the first round by the New York Mets in 2002 out of high school in Houston, Kazmir is now with his seventh major league club in 13 years.

A three-time All-star, Kazmir pitched in independent ball last year, determined to make a comeback.

Plagued by elbow injuries that derailed him in 2011 and had him pitching in independent ball in 2012, Kazmir made 32 starts in 2014 for Oakland and 31 between the Athletics and Houston the next year.

He pitched last year for the Eastern Reyes del Tigre of the Constellation Energy League in Sugar Land, Texas. Kazmir went 2-1 with a 4.20 ERA over four appearances and three starts.

Kapler wasn’t sure how deep into the game Kazmir might work in his return, though he had been built up to about three innings and somewhere in the range of 55-60 pitches.

Kazmir was 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in two outings with one start covering 61⁄3 innings for Sacramento.

The reports Kapler received are that Kazmir has reached 91-93 mph on his fastball, which Kapler notes is “not Scott Kazmir circa 2005 but also not far off where he was toward the end of his last major league stint. His changeup and delivery have been solid, and he’s “strong and healthy,” Kapler said.

Kazmir led the American League in strikeouts with 239 for the Rays in 2007.

At 37 years, 118 days, Kazmir became the oldest

Giants pitcher to start a game since Tim Hudson on Oct. 1, 2015, at 40 years, 79 days.

“It’s going to be a bit of a whirlwind for him,” Kapler said.

Notable

Texas right-hander Kohei Arihara needs shoulder surgery and is expected to miss at least 12 weeks.

• The Blue Jays put third baseman Cavan Biggio on the 10-day injured list with a cervical spine ligament sprain.

• Pittsburgh righty Trevor Cahill (Vista High) was placed on the 10-day injured list with left side discomfort.