SF Giants place another pitcher on the Injured List

The SF Giants have been red-hot as of late, winners of their past eight games following back-to-back sweeps in St. Louis and Los Angeles, but unfortunately, the injuries just keep coming, as they've now placed another pitcher on the Injured List.

SF Giants place another pitcher on the Injured List

This time it's veteran reliever Scott Alexander, who strained his hamstring during the series finale in Los Angeles, and in his place, the team will recall Sean Hjelle, who's been in and out of the major league roster for the majority of the 2023 campaign.

Alexander hasn't been at his best this season but has still been a contributor to one of the best bullpens in baseball since early May, posting a 3.52 ERA in 23 innings pitched, and given that John Brebbia, Alex Cobb, Ross Stripling, and others are all dealing with injuries, this is the last thing they needed. Still,, Giants manager Gabe Kapler has used Alexander in high-leverage spots with a tough lefty or two coming to the plate.

Hjelle is a more than capable arm however, as the 6'11" right hander has completed 13.1 innings, and while he's unlikely to be used in high-leverage situations, he's capable of being a long-reliever that can give this team valuable innings considering their current injury predicament.

With the Giants racing to second place, just 3.5 games back of Arizona in the NL West, they appear to be gearing up for a playoff race, and to do so, they'll need to make some big moves at the trade deadline, but for now, they believe Hjelle is capable of playing his role as the red-hot offense continues to lead them to big wins.

The Giants need innings and that is what Hjelle provides. The 26-year-old pitcher has struggled to the tune of a 10.13 ERA in 10 appearances for the Giants bullpen in 2023. However, he has worked primarily as a starter since being drafted in 2018, so the role can be a tough one to take on, especially given that the innings can be sporadic.

The right-handed hurler has been much better in Triple-A, posting a 4.09 ERA in eight starts with 26 strikeouts against 10 walks in 33 frames.