San Francisco Giants: Rodriguez, Suarez and Moronta Need Rest

With the San Francisco Giants season all but over, the front office needs to make the necessary steps to prepare for 2019.

One of those steps is an analysis of the young talent in the San Francisco Giants organization.

While that might mean call-ups in September for players like catcher Aramis Garcia and outfielder Chris Shaw, there are three pitchers who have already proven their worth for next season.

Starting pitchers Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez, as well as relief pitcher Reyes Moronta, have been excellent this season.

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However, it is important for the Giants to be careful that they don’t overuse their young pitchers over the next six weeks.

While both Rodriguez and Suarez are on pace to pitch more innings than they ever have, Moronta is also nearing 75 appearances as a reliever. Because of the success they’ve had, they have each pitched in several high leverage situations in the middle and late innings.

No matter what the situation was in the minor leagues for these guys, there is nothing like the bases full of major leaguers and 40,000 fans cheering.

So while some fans may want to see these three finish the season strong, it makes much more sense to see them healthy. Mostly because they need the rest. Also, because the Giants have other pitchers to evaluate.

Chris Stratton is set to start tomorrow’s game, and with new call-up Casey Kelly and long man Ty Blach, the Giants have plenty of options to start games the final weeks of the season. When they add Jeff Samardzija from his rehab assignments, there will be more than enough reasons to sit Rodriguez and Suarez.

With former closer Hunter Strickland finally back and with other relief pitchers like Derek Law, Josh Osich, and Steven Okert still on the 40 man, it makes sense to give innings to them over Moronta to see if they are worth holding on to in 2019.

Ultimately, these last games of the season will not matter as much as fans were hoping they would, and it seems cruel to suggest three of the brightest spots about the 2018 season be shut down, but this is about giving the team the best chance to be better next season.

This won’t solve all of their issues, but this will also protect the few issues they don’t have.