SF Giants pitching depth from the left side took a hit. According to Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle, Reiver Sanmartin is expected to miss at least three months following a hip flexor strain.
The Giants began the spring with three primary lefty relievers out of the bullpen, includin Sam Hentges, Erik Miller, and Matt Gage. Hentges and Miller have been slowed this spring due to a back ailment and knee injury, respectively.
Miller is expected to get into game action this week, but Hentges is not on target to be ready for Opening Day. To some degree, the Giants addressed this after re-signing veteran pitcher Joey Lucchesi to a minor league deal, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.
Lucchesi put up a respectable 3.76 ERA across 38.1 frame for the Giants last season. By the end of the year, he had emerged as one of the top leverage options in a bullpen that had been depleted by injuries and trades.
With a good two-week stretch this spring, Lucchesi could pitch his way onto the Opening Day roster. This is also true for just about any non-roster pitcher in camp.
Reiver Sanmartin will not be ready by Opening Day. The Giants claimed him off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds in the offseason. They liked him enough to keep him on the 40-man roster throughout the offseason.
How much they expected from Sanmartin is up for debate. He was likely the fourth or fifth lefty reliever on the depth chart, depending on how they plan to deploy Carson Whisenhunt in 2026. Juan Sánchez could pitch his way into that conversation as well.
Sanmartin has put up a 3.42 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 8.5 K/9, and a 4.34 SO/W rate across nine minor league seasons. In parts of four major league seasons, he has posted a 5.66 ERA. This includes a healthy 53.6 percent ground ball rate.
The lefty reliever relies on a low 90’s sinker with a mid 80’s changeup and a low 80’s slider. The changeup is his go-to secondary, and there are times when he leans on that more than his fastball. Sanmartin relies more on finesse than overpowering stuff.
The Sanmartin injury could have roster implications. He is likely a candidate to be moved to the 60-day injured list, which would open up a spot on the 40-man roster. Given that a handful of non-roster pitchers have thrown the ball well this spring, they may need a couple extra spots for the Opening Day roster.
