Giants calling up Carson Whisenhunt, likely to start before the All-Star break
· Yahoo Sports
Carson Whisenhunt is likely to make a start for the San Francisco Giants before the break, manager Tony Vitello said Wednesday. With the team currently without a named starter slated to go Thursday night against the Rockies, it's a very good bet the left-hander jumps in there.
Whisenhunt's last start was July 1, which leaves little doubt that Thursday's turn in the rotation might go to him. The Giants don't appear to have booted anyone from the rotation to make room for him, listing Robbie Ray for Friday's game, Tyler Mahle on Saturday and Trevor McDonald in the finale against Colorado before the All-Star break.
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Rotations, of course, can change and Sunday would be Landen Roupp's next scheduled day to start. He'd be looking at a long layoff between Monday night's eight-inning victory against the Blue Jays and slotting in somewhere in the post-break rotation, which has yet to be announced. McDonald right now would be taking a regular turn on Sunday with four days off after struggling in Tuesday's turn, allowing eight runs in 2 ⅔ innings.
Whisenhunt was at Oracle Park on Wednesday on the taxi squad, enabling him to go through his long toss with the team and confer with the pitching coaches before the game. He has allowed 10 runs in 8 ⅓ innings over his past two starts with Triple-A Sacramento, both of them at hitter-friendly parks, Las Vegas and El Paso. He allowed no more than two runs in any of his previous three outings.
"If you look at his body of work, he's trending upward for sure," Vitello said.
Should the Giants trade one of their starters due to become free agents at the end of the season, such as Ray or Mahle, Whisenhunt might just wind up sticking in the rotation if he pitches well in his likely start Thursday.
Whisenhunt, 25, appeared as the 26th man in a doubleheader at Atlanta last month and allowed six hits and two runs in five innings. He made five starts with the Giants last year and went 2-1 with a 5.01 ERA. MLB Pipeline currently lists him as San Francisco's 11th best prospect.
Cox to IL: Speedy utilityman Jonah Cox went on the 10-day IL just before Wednesday's game against Toronto with a left oblique strain. In his place, the Giants recalled rookie catcher/utilityman Jesus Rodriguez. Cox, called up directly from Double-A Richmond on May 31, was batting .269 and was 4-for-4 on stolen-base attempts. Rodriguez hit .231/.302/.385 with two homers in 14 games with the Giants earlier this season and is hitting .274/.353/.405 with five homers in 49 games at Triple-A Sacramento, mostly catching regularly but also starting games at second, third and left field.
Chapman update: Third baseman Matt Chapman said his second child, a boy named Jack, arrived July 2, three days early. He said his wife, Taylor, went into labor almost precisely the same time Chapman left the Giants game at Arizona with an abdominal strain. "It's really bizarre how the world works sometimes," Chapman said. Jack and Taylor are both doing great, Chapman said. It's unclear when Chapman will be able to come off the IL; he's eligible to do so Saturday but that seems unlikely, and the All-Star break starts Monday.
Briefly: An MRI determined left-handed reliever Matt Gage has a moderate flexor-tendon strain, the Giants announced; he will receive a PRP injection and be reevaluated in a few weeks. … Right-hander Gregory Santos has opted for free agency after clearing waivers. The Giants are at 39 players on their 40-man roster.
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