SF Giants lefty reliever returns to the mound just in time to be ready for Opening Day

Erik Miller made his 2026 Cactus League debut on Friday, striking out the side in a scoreless inning of work. The SF Giants lefty reliever had been slowed by a back ailment but is returning just in time to be ready for Opening Day.

SF Giants lefty reliever returns to the mound just in time to be ready for Opening Day

When spring training began, the left side of the bullpen looked to be the one true strength. Miller, along with Sam Hentges and Matt Gage, all have had success against left-handed hitters.

At a minimum, that type of situational leverage often leads to a bullpen role. The Giants may need more than a situational role from Miller and Hentges.

Hentges was one of the few relievers the Giants signed to a major league deal in the offseason. He only made 25 appearances in 2024 before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. The injury troubles continued, as he underwent knee surgery this past August. Hentges has not made an appearance yet this spring and will likely not be ready for Opening Day.

On the other hand, Miller missed the second half of last season due to an elbow injury. The bullpen looked a lot different when he last pitched in a regular season game for San Francisco.

Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval handled the eighth and ninth inning, respectively. Randy Rodríguez was used in a variety of roles. Miller was used primarily as the high-leverage option against left-handed hitters.

The southpaw pitcher did well in that role, pitching to a 1.50 ERA in 36 outings. The underlying metrics were not as strong, as both the strikeout rate (6.6 SO/9) and walk rate (6.0 BB/9) went in the wrong direction. He limited lefty hitters to a .578 OPS, so he did well in those matchups.

The Giants may need Miller to assume a larger role this season. The bullpen hierarchy is up for grabs with one likely exception. Ryan Walker will presumably start the year as the team’s closer. He struggled last season in that role, but the Giants are hopeful for a rebound season.

Miller may need to be a high-leverage arm this season. The Giants do not really have a blueprint for how they plan to get the ball to Walker with the lead, but Miller has the stuff to be in that mix. That said, the control remains a question mark.

Miller got off to a good start on Friday. The fastball velocity was a tick below what it was last year, but he still should have a few more chances to get that back up before the season begins.