After throwing session, Wood hopes to start soon for Giants
Alex Wood’s bout of COVID-19 behind him, the lefthander is looking forward to getting back to work with the Giants again.
“This is the funnest time of the year, September — you’ve been in the hunt, have clinched a playoff berth, right in the hunt for division title,” said Wood, who was a member of the Dodgers’ title team last year. “I mean, there’s just nothing better than this time of year. Our season is so long, it’s longer than any season in professional sports, and so to get to this point and to be where we are is really neat, really special. Hopefully, I’ll be back soon and contributing.”
Wood threw a 21-pitch live batting practice session to Donovan Solano (COVID IL) and Alex Dickerson (hamstring).
Wood will be evaluated Thursday to see how he recovers; manager Gabe Kapler said a Saturday start isn’t out of the question.
The Giants are down two starters, with Wood and Johnny Cueto (elbow) both out. Cueto threw at a distance of 60 feet Wednesday but remains a longshot for a regular-season start.
“It’s not the easiest thing to get through with three starters, and the sooner we have Woody available for us on a regular basis, the better,” Kapler said. “That means getting him into a game as soon as he’s ready for that and without pushing him, taxing him or extending him beyond his own comfort level and physical capabilities.”
COVID, Wood said, “got me pretty good.” He had seven consecutive days with fevers, and his energy level was severely affected. “It’s getting better,” Wood said. “Just a little cough and congestion and the fatigue part of it, but it’s better each day.”
Wood politely declined again to disclose his vaccination status; Solano was vaccinated but got a breakthrough case of COVID. Wood said that his wife, Suzanna, also got COVID and was sicker than he was, but she is is recovering well.
Wood has been a major factor this season, proving to be a terrific stopper; the Giants are 11-1 in his starts after team losses, and overall, he’s 10-4 with a 4.08 ERA and 135 strikeouts and 39 walks in 1252⁄3 innings. He’s also a nine-year veteran with 20 playoff games under his belt.
“He knows how he can help us best, and his veteran status, his experiences, his track record of success all make him more valuable in these big moments down the stretch,” Kapler said.
Wood went on the COVID list Aug. 30, and he has watched as the team went 11-3 since then to improve to 95-50, clinching a playoff spot Monday despite having to turn to bullpen games regularly with Wood and Cueto out.
“What those guys have done has been absolutely awesome,” he said of the relievers. “You don’t want to have to do that for a month straight or whatever it may be, but there are some real possibilities, real scenarios in the postseason where that could be a viable option. It’s good to have those guys that have kind of gotten used to it these last 21⁄2 weeks. And how well they’ve done — I think it’s just another tool in the toolbox, potentially, for the postseason.”
Missing at least three starts will cost Wood a bit financially. He already has earned $1.25 million in incentives because he has 22 appearances with at least 10 outs recorded; when he hits 24, he’ll earn another $250,000, and he gets $500,000 each for hitting 26, 28, 30.
He’s likely to make four starts at most the rest of the way, and given his two-plus weeks of inactivity, it’s possible he might not get into the fourth inning in his first outing, making at least $1 million in potential income iffy.