SF Giants left-handed hurler lands on the injured list with hamstring injury

The injury woes continue for the SF Giants. Left-handed hurler Alex Wood sustained a hamstring strain during his start against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. The Giants placed him on the injured list while recalling young pitcher Tristan Beck in a corresponding roster move according to the team's transaction log.

SF Giants left-handed hurler lands on the injured list with hamstring injury

Wood was off to a solid start, registering a 1.80 ERA, 3.51 FIP, 1.40 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, and a 1.83 SO/W ratio through his first three appearances. The poor command was a surprising quality to see from the veteran pitcher, but that rate would have likely normalized over time.

However, the Giants will have to wait before he returns to the mound as he recovers from injury. Ross Stripling completed 2.1 scoreless frames against the Marlins after Wood's injury, so it seems like he would be a natural replacement, but Giants manager Gabe Kapler has not confirmed this yet.

Stripling's Giants career has gotten off on the wrong foot as he has posted a 7.30 ERA with six home runs allowed in four appearances. The 32-year-old pitched allowed just 12 home runs in 134.1 innings with the Toronto Blue Jays last year, so it is surprising to see him be hurt by the home run ball in the early going.

That rate is not likely to sustain itself and Stripling has looked better in his last couple of outings. He has been a solid pitcher throughout his career and the Giants are counting on him to regain that form.

On the other hand, Tristan Beck gets his first shot in the majors. The pitching prospect was originally acquired in a trade that sent Mark Melancon to the Atlanta Braves at the 2019 trade deadline.

Beck flashes a four-pitch mix that features a low-to-mid 90's fastball with a changeup, curveball, and a cutter. The changeup and curveball are two of his better pitches, but he is capable of getting outs with all four pitches.

The 26-year-old has worked primarily out of the rotation, but he will likely slot into the bullpen for now. He was off to a nice start in Triple-A as he registered a 3.38 ERA with nine strikeouts against six walks in three appearances. The Giants added him to the 40-man roster this past winter, so his next appearance should be his major league debut.