Hard-throwing reliever to be limited to start camp due to tight hamstring

The SF Giants have not sustained any major injuries yet. That said, hard-throwing reliever Joel Peguero will be limited to start camp due to a tight hamstring, per Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News.

Hard-throwing reliever to be limited to start camp due to tight hamstring

This sounds like a precautionary move that should not prevent him from being ready for Opening Day. If there is any discomfort at all, there is no reason to push it in February.

Buster Posey hinted that there would be an open competition for nearly every bullpen role, including closer. They probably have a few too many middle relievers, and not enough leverage arms.

The bullpen was a liability at the end of last season due to trades and injuries. Camilo Doval and Tyler Rogers were traded away at the deadline. Erik Miller missed the second half of the season, whereas Randy Rodríguez underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of last year.

The Giants do not expect Rodríguez to return before the end of the year, but Miller should be ready to go. Miller might be the only reliever with a defined role, which is in leverage matchups against left-handed hitters. He has limited lefty hitters to a .527 OPS across two major league seasons.

The rest of the bullpen is up for grabs, and can go in a few different directions. Spencer Bivens, Ryan Walker, Spencer Bivens, Matt Gage, and José Buttó are some of the holdovers from last year’s bullpen. 

The Giants have signed a few relievers to major league deals this offseason, most notably Sam Hentges. They have also added Jason Foley and Rowan Wick, but the latter is not expected to pitch this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Michael Fulmer and Gregory Santos were among the non-roster camp invites with major league experience. Seemingly any non-roster pitcher can earn a spot on the Opening Day roster with a solid Cactus League performance.

Joel Peguero will likely compete with Walker for the closer role. Walker has the experience, but Peguero has a fastball that can reach over 100 miles per hour. That type of velocity can lend itself to a leverage role. 

Despite having premium velocity, Peguero is still relatively unproven as a major league reliever. He has a 2.42 ERA with 17 strikeouts and eight walks in just 22.1 frames in his career.