San Francisco Giants: Who are the options for the fifth starter?

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Oct 8, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Ty Blach (50) pitches against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning during game two of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Ty Blach

Someone who really took advantage of his opportunity is Ty Blach. Putting up an All-Star season down in triple-A this year with a 14-7 record and posting a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts. In September, Blach was promoted for his efforts. Being a rookie he wasn’t going to get much playing time with the Giants in the playoff hunt. The Giants are not a team that lets their rookies learn at the big league level, with exception to the likes of Buster Posey or Madison Bumgarner. Ty Blach didn’t throw much, only 17 innings over 4 games. But, when Bruce Bochy called upon the rookie to pitch, he did not disappoint.

Nothing was more spectacular than the performance he gave against the Dodgers on October first. With the season on the line, Bochy decides to let a rookie who had only thrown nine big league innings up to that point, pitch against the Dodgers (and against Clayton Kershaw no less!). Blach delivered a three-hit, eight inning shutout performance setting up Matt Moore and the Giants to seal the deal and clinch the wild-card the next day. This kind of performance showed that Blach has poise and is ready to compete at the big-league level.