SAN DIEGO — A Giants pitching staff that’s missing its most experienced veteran starter and its closer could have both pitchers back in action before the end of the regular season.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Wednesday that right-hander Johnny Cueto is scheduled to make a rehab start for Triple-A Sacramento and throw between 30-to-40 pitches on Thursday. Cueto, who is on the 10-day injured list with a right elbow strain, last pitched on August 31 when he gave up 10 hits and six runs over 3 2/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
If all goes well for Cueto on Thursday against the Salt Lake City Bees, it’s possible he could make a start during the Giants’ homestand next week against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Closer Jake McGee could follow Cueto back to the active roster as the Giants are still targeting a potential return for the left-hander during the final weekend of the regular season. McGee was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain on September 17 and hasn’t yet started throwing, but the Giants don’t think he’ll take long to be in a position to help the club once he does take the first big step toward returning.
Unlike Cueto, who needs to be built up to take down multiple innings, McGee only needs to be able to give the Giants 15-to-20 pitches at a time out of the bullpen.
It’s unclear whether Kapler would immediately reinsert McGee into the closer role, but the club is clearly comfortable with using right-hander Tyler Rogers in his place. Rogers earned a save in the Giants’ 6-5 win on Tuesday after he worked with Brandon Belt and Brandon Crawford to turn a game-ending 3-6-1 double play.
“I know there’s been quite a bit of chatter about Rogers in the ninth inning,” Kapler said postgame on Tuesday. “Is he better in the eighth or the seventh inning? I just think tonight is a really good indication that he can go through the opposition’s toughest hitters and get balls on the ground. Most of the time we’re going to be able to convert those into outs.”
With Cueto sidelined, the Giants selected Scott Kazmir’s contract from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday and will have the 37-year-old left-hander start against the Padres. In previous weeks, the Giants have used their bullpen to cover nine innings on days Cueto typically would have pitched, but the organization chose to call on a veteran starter to face San Diego this week.
