The Giants didn’t wait around on Tuesday. After a flurry of roster moves, Victor Bericoto was back in the mix immediately, reinstated from the 10-day injured list and slotted straight into the starting lineup for the second game of San Francisco’s three-game set against the Astros at Oracle Park.
Bericoto, back after an oblique injury, will start in left field and hit fifth. Manager Tony Vitello wasted no time putting him right back in the middle of things.
San Francisco also added veteran catcher Andrew Knizner on a major-league contract, a move that comes with Daniel Susac on the injured list because of a fractured kneecap. To clear room, the Giants designated Eddy Leonard for assignment and optioned Zach Morgan back to Triple-A Sacramento after his one-day major-league stay.
The lineup around Bericoto was shuffled as well. Jung Hoo Lee is leading off and playing right field, Willy Adames is batting second and manning shortstop, Bryce Eldridge is moving from designated hitter to first base, and Rafael Devers is handling DH duties while batting cleanup.
The Giants came up short on Monday night despite playing a solid game for much of the evening. Houston rallied in the bottom of the ninth, then added three runs in the 10th to take a 6-3 win.
San Francisco will try to answer with Carson Whisenhunt on the mound. The left-hander is 2-3 with a 7.25 ERA. Houston will go with Hunter Brown, who is 3-1 with a 3.53 ERA.
With the Giants’ postseason hopes all but gone, these final weeks are about what comes next. Bericoto fits that frame, and now that he’s healthy, he gets a chance to show Vitello and Buster Posey what he can do. What he does with this opportunity could matter plenty for both him and the organization moving forward.
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Giants Just Made A Quiet Move With Matt Chapman Still Out
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Whitcomb can still be optioned for the rest of the season, which gives San Francisco some maneuverability as it looks for ways to absorb the innings and at-bats Chapman normally would have taken. To make room, the Giants had to clear a spot on the roster, and the move suggests they are preparing for a stretch in which they may need Whitcomb to help fill the gap rather than simply sit in reserve. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Suddenly Have A Heliot Ramos Problem They Cant Ignore
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Ramos still has time to settle in, and the Yankees control him for several more seasons, so this is not a short-term rental they can simply move on from. Once healthier bodies start returning, the club may have to decide whether to keep giving Ramos regular runway or use him in a platoon with Spencer Jones, a choice that could say plenty about how they view his place in the lineup going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Eldridge Is Facing A Test Giants Fans Can't Ignore
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Eldridge and manager Tony Vitello have both addressed the way he is attacking at-bats and the adjustments he is trying to make, which is part of what keeps this story so interesting for the Giants. The numbers say the swing-and-miss has become harder to ignore, and with the season still offering time to respond, the next step in his approach may matter just as much as the results themselves. [Read more 🡒]