SF Giants reliever lands on injured list following questionable usage decision

On Sunday, the SF Giants placed Keaton Winn on the injured list with an elbow strain. This came just a few days after he was used out of the bullpen in three straight games.

In a corresponding roster move, Tristan Beck was recalled from Triple-A, per the team's transaction log. He was optioned just a couple of days ago to make room for Reiver Sanmartínm, but he is eligible to return because he is an injury replacement.

Manager Tony Vitello told Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area that the Giants expect Winn to have a short-term stint on the injured list. He also said that he has no regrets about Winn's recent usage.

Only time will tell if that is true. Winn has missed considerable time in recent seasons due to elbow injuries. This includes undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2021 which kept him on the shelf for that entire season. When he did return to the mound in 2022, it had been nearly three full seasons since he had appeared in a professional game.

SF Giants have had to lean on right-handed reliever before to stint on the injured list

The elbow injuries have continued to plague Winn in recent years. This includes undergoing a season-ending elbow procedure in 2024. He also missed considerabel time for with an undisclosed injury in 2025.

The right-handed reliever has been a pleasant surprise in 2026, pitching to a 3.23 ERA with 26 strikeouts and nine walks in 30.2 plate appearances. For a brief moment, he worked as the team's closer.

Winn's worst outings often coincided with questionable usage decisions, whether that be throwing multiple innings or recording an up-and-down inning. These usage choices are in addition to having Winn throw three games in a row. It is not just that relievers are not nearly as effective pitching in the back end of back-to-back games, but the usage seemingly puts them at a higher risk of injury. Winn did this three days in a row.

Vitello had been leaning on Winn a lot this season. He simply does not have many other options, and managers manage to win the game. It is a balancing act between managing a reliever to throw a full season and putting the team in a position to succeed. Whether Winn's usage contributed to his injured list stint remains to be seen.

Tristan Beck will take his place in the bullpen. Beck has pitched for the Giants sporadically in 2026. He has allowed eight earned runs with three strikeouts and two walks across eight frames this season.

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