Deadline trades and multiple injuries have created an opportunity in the San Francisco Giants bullpen, and Tyler Rogers is making the most of it.
Sidewinding reliever Tyler Rogers made his MLB debut for the San Francisco Giants on August 27, 2019. It was the culmination of a long road through the club’s minor league ranks.
A 10th-round pick in 2013, Rogers moved steadily through the system before reaching Triple-A for the first time in 2016. It took parts of four seasons and 179 appearances at the highest level of the minors before he finally earned his first taste of big league action.
It would appear he has no intention of returning to Triple-A Sacramento.
With Sam Dyson, Mark Melancon, Drew Pomeranz and Ray Black all traded at the deadline and Will Smith, Reyes Moronta, Trevor Gott and Tony Watson all sidelined with injuries, the door has opened for some of the team’s reliever depth in the upper minors to show something at the MLB level.
In nine appearances since being promoted, Rogers has logged a 2.08 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with four strikeouts in 8.2 innings of work.
His deceptive delivery has made him equally effective against right-handed hitters and left-handed hitters:
- vs. RHH: 22 PA, 3 H, 2 XBH, .143 BAA, .420 OPS
- vs. LHH: 11 PA, 2 H, 0 XBH, .200 BAA, .473 OPS
A strong defensive infield in San Francisco plays to his favor, as he’ll never be someone who racks up strikeouts, instead pitching to contact and hoping the defense stands up behind him.
With years of team control remaining and a spot now claimed on the 40-man roster, Rogers has put himself in an excellent position to be a part of the team’s 2020 bullpen plans.
With Smith and Watson both set to depart in free agency and Moronta headed for a lengthy recovery from a torn labrum in his right shoulder, a relief corps that was a strength for much of the 2019 season now looks like one of the biggest question marks heading into next year.
If he continues to pitch well down the stretch, Tyler Rogers could help bring some in-house stability to a San Francisco Giants bullpen unit in flux.