SF Giants option a pair of pitchers, reassign left-handed hurler to the minors

The SF Giants continued trimming the camp roster on Saturday, optioning Kyle Harrison and Keaton according to the team's transaction log. Joey Lucchesi was reassigned to minor league camp, per John Shea of The San Francisco Standard.

SF Giants option a pair of pitchers, reassign left-handed hurler to the minors

Harrison and Winn being sent to the minors is not too surprising. However, reassigning Lucchesi means the Giants will likely start the year with Erik Miller being the only southpaw pitcher in the bullpen. It is a risky move as it limits in-game matchups and one that does not seem like a long-term approach.

Perhaps, the Giants could shift Landen Roupp to the bullpen. This would fill the void of not having another left-handed pitcher in the bullpen even if Roupp throws from the right side. The young pitcher allowed a .191/.340/.274 line in 103 plate appearances against left-handed hitters in 2024.

I do not like this role for him. I would prefer that he continues to get stretched out as a starter, especially since he has only thrown a little over 100 combined innings in the past two seasons. Plus, pitching out of the bullpen as a swingman can be unpredictable and the innings can be sporadic.

On the other hand, Harrison began the spring as the presumed frontrunner for the final rotation spot. His 2025 Cactus League debut was delayed due to an illness. When the young lefty did return, he yielded eight earned runs with nine strikeouts and one walk in 6.1 frames.

Harrison's fastball velocity sat in the low 90's early in the spring, but it ticked back up in his last appearance. The key for him will be finding the mechanics that allows his fastball to sit more consistently in the mid-90's while continuing to mix in his secondary pitches.

Lastly, Keaton Winn missed the second half of last season after undergoing elbow surgery. There were not setbacks and he put up respectable numbers this spring, allowing two earned runs with 10 strikeouts and two walks in five innings of work.

The Giants' Triple-A team will have a lot of starting pitcher options. It is unknown how the Giants view Winn's role, whether in the rotation or bullpen. They could even mix in a few piggyback starts to make sure that the pitchers on the 40-man roster get innings. However, it could lead to a pitcher or two like Winn shifting to the bullpen.