SAN FRANCISCO–Giants rookie right-hander Tyler Beede will make his Major League debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks Tuesday, but he’s not the only pitching prospect who will likely start for San Francisco this week.
Manager Bruce Bochy revealed Johnny Cueto rolled his left ankle during a workout this weekend and an hour before Tuesday’s game, the Giants placed Cueto on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to April 7.
The Giants recalled Steven Okert from Triple-A Sacramento to provide immediate help in the bullpen.
San Francisco has also added left-hander Andrew Suarez to the taxi squad, which gives the club 24 hours to activate him to the 25-man roster. Suarez, 25, is not a member of the 40-man roster yet, so the Giants will have to make multiple roster moves in order for him to start against the Diamondbacks in Cueto’s place on Wednesday.
“There’s a really good chance Suarez will start tomorrow,” Bochy said.
Cueto was initially slated to throw Tuesday, but the Giants pushed his scheduled start back another day with the hope that he would recover from the ankle tweak in time to pitch against the Diamondbacks.
Here’s Bochy’s explanation of the #SFGiants taxi squad situation, Cueto’s injury and the possibility Suarez debuts Wednesday pic.twitter.com/xxovZKUDYS
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) April 10, 2018
“We were trying to keep this under wraps because I know that was his preference,” Bochy said. “He was hoping he would be ready to start.”
With Cueto headed to the 10-day disabled list, the top three starters in the Giants’ rotation and their projected closer, Mark Melancon, are all sidelined by injury.
“It’s too high of a risk to let (Cueto) go out there and pitch right now,” Bochy said. “Now the question will be, do we push him back or do we throw him on the disabled list and we have not made that determination yet.”
Because Cueto is not eligible to return from the disabled list until next week, Beede will likely start again on Sunday when his turn comes up in the rotation against the Padres.
Beede and Suarez are now slated to become the first Giants’ rookies to make their Major League debuts as starting pitchers on back-to-back days since Bob Knepper and Frank Ricelli did so on September 10 and 11 in 1976.
Even though Okert was added to the active roster shortly before Tuesday’s game, it’s possible the Giants will option him back to Triple-A Sacramento following their contest. The club needs a roster spot for Suarez by Wednesday, so Okert could pitch Tuesday and then be demoted.
If the Giants are intent on keeping Okert around for more than a single appearance, rookies Reyes Moronta and Pierce Johnson both have Minor League options and could be sent to Sacramento.
Any player who is optioned to Triple-A must remain in the Minor Leagues for at least 10 days. However, there is no minimum amount of time a player must spend on the Major League roster, which is why the Giants have flexibility with Beede and Okert.
It remains unclear who the Giants will remove from the 40-man roster to add Suarez, the franchise’s second round draft choice in 2015. However, Minor League pitcher Chase Johnson is a candidate, and they could also place an injured player on the 60-day disabled list to clear a space.
Here’s Bochy on the #SFGiants potential Wednesday starter, Andrew Suarez pic.twitter.com/LEsJeRYleX
— Kerry Crowley (@KO_Crowley) April 10, 2018