SF Giants Press Clips Tuesday, August 28, 2018

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1 SF Giants Press Clips Tuesday, August 28, 2018 San Francisco Chronicle Giants get star turns from Duggar, Stratton to beat first-place D backs Henry Schulman Steven Duggar is 24. He has been in the major leagues for less than two months and just hit a two-run homer for the only runs in a late-august victory against the first-place team. Try telling him it made no difference for the Giants in the National League West race. We really got it going the past couple of days, Duggar said after he and Chris Stratton starred in Monday night s 2-0 victory against the Diamondbacks. It s exciting to see. It s a lot of fun showing up every day, especially with these guys. If we can keep reeling off some wins, we might surprise some people. And now, the splash of cold water: The Giants, who have won three in a row, are still a game below.500 and seven out of first place with 29 to play. Youthful exuberance aside, the real value of Monday s series-opening win was the information that management gleaned about two still-learning players, data that goes into decisions about 2019 and beyond. The Giants know they have a potential hitter in Duggar, who turned on a 3-1 fastball from lefty Patrick Corbin with two outs in the second inning and sent his first AT&T Park homer into the Arcade. Brandon Crawford singled ahead of him. Duggar has settled two games in a row with two-run hits from the eighth spot in the order, which is a tough place to hit and a temporary home for the center fielder. 1

2 He s not going to hit there his whole career. Trust me, manager Bruce Bochy said, adding he might move up Duggar when the Giants face right-hander Clay Buchholz on Tuesday night. In a way, Duggar s future is more secure than that of Chris Stratton, who turned 28 on Wednesday and still has not established himself as a 30-starts-a-year pitcher. But he has given the Giants a lot more hope in two starts since he was sent to the minors for reeducation, with Ryan Vogelsong his professor. Stratton made some necessary changes to his delivery, and on Monday night, the division leaders paid the price. Stratton threw 117 pitches in eight shutout innings, both career highs, holding Arizona to five hits and six strikeouts without a walk. His 117th pitch was a curveball that started at Eduardo Escobar s knees and ended in the dirt, well below the batter s swing. Stratton retired 17 of his final 18 hitters in a game that easily could have gone south in a hurry. He allowed two singles to start the game, then fell behind David Peralta 3-0. Peralta swung at the next pitch and hit a groundball for a force. Stratton then jammed Paul Goldschmidt on a popup and got Daniel Descalso to end the inning with another groundball. Goldschmidt had been 7-for-14 against Stratton, who retired him three times, once on one of Crawford s best dive-and-throw plays of the year. Stratton was so sharp, catcher Nick Hundley lobbied Bochy to keep the pitcher in the game after seven innings despite a pitch count that had reached 101. With several relievers off limits because of overwork, Bochy did not need much persuading. I didn t know I was going back out there, Stratton said. If nobody comes and shakes your hand, you go back out and stay focused. Stratton s team-leading ninth win was in jeopardy when Tony Watson and Hunter Strickland each walked a batter in the ninth to put the tying runs aboard. Strickland added to the drama by working the count full to Nick Ahmed, who flied to right to end the game. Strickland earned his first save since June 10. Will Smith had a second consecutive day off after pitching on three straight days. Bochy expects the lefty to be available Tuesday night. San Francisco Chronicle Giants Steven Duggar would be OK with moving bullpens to Triples Alley Henry Schulman Word travels between San Francisco and Sacramento a lot faster than the traffic on Interstate 2

3 80. While Steven Duggar was finishing his minor-league development in Triple-A, he and his teammates followed renewed debate over moving the AT&T Park bullpens to right-center field behind a new fence for safety s sake. On Sunday, after hitting his first big-league triple, Duggar said he would be fine with such a move, which could neutralize the great speed advantage he brings to the Giants, not only hitting balls into Triples Alley but running them down as well. Duggar was not necessarily advocating it or speaking out. He was responding to a question about an ever-present debate that could affect him for years to come as the Giants center fielder. He said he was aware of the debate after what happened to teammate Mac Williamson. Williamson tripped over the home bullpen mound down the left-field line and banged his head on a wall while chasing a flyball in April, sustaining a concussion that ruined his promising season and renewed calls for the bullpens to be placed somewhere else. It is a dangerous deal. We re aware of that, Duggar said. If you re talking about moving the bullpens to right-center, if they do that, I m sure guys wouldn t have a riot about it. Giants hitters actually might celebrate it and free-agent hitters might be more inclined to sign here. The pitchers would feel differently, of course. Either way, the debate seems to be moot. The vast real estate in right-center is a signature feature of AT&T Park that the Giants have not been inclined to change, while also arguing that that ballpark s tiny footprint leaves them little alternative for relocating the bullpens. As long as the dimensions stay the way they are, Duggar said, he will use them to exploit his strengths at the plate and afield. I think this is a great park for him, manager Bruce Bochy said. If he hits it into the gap, it s probably going to be a triple. With his range, he s going to cut off a lot of doubles and triples. Briefly: The Giants said Buster Posey was resting comfortably after hip surgery Monday afternoon to repair a torn labrum and shave down bone spurs. Head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner accompanied Posey to Colorado for the operation. Posey will return to the Bay Area this week to begin his rehabilitation.... Bochy is leaning toward Aramis Garcia catching Dereck Rodriguez on Wednesday night. The two briefly were teammates as 12-year-olds on a travel team. San Jose Mercury News Chris Stratton sets new career-high in brilliant win over D backs Kerry Crowley SAN FRANCISCO Young players experience setbacks quite frequently, but some are so severe 3

4 that teams can t afford to have them iron out issues at the major league level. That was the case for Giants right-hander Chris Stratton, who was a leader in the rotation for much of April before summer struggles forced the franchise to demote him to Triple-A. San Francisco sent Stratton on a mission to rediscover his command with the Sacramento River Cats, and in his second start back as a member of the rotation, the journey has fostered hope. With the division leaders in town, Stratton fired a career-high eight shutout innings on 117 pitches against the Diamondbacks in a 2-0 Giants win. They just wanted me to get back to what I was previously and just help this team win, Stratton said of the demotion. Hopefully we can get on a good roll here and hopefully this is a good momentum builder. Stratton joined ace Madison Bumgarner as the only Giants pitchers to record an eight-inning start this year as he retired 10 in a row and 18 of the final 19 batters he faced to conclude his outing. He s thrown some really nice games if you go back last year and early this year, manager Bruce Bochy said. But I d have to put that up there. That s one of his best games. Bochy wanted to stay away from closer Will Smith due to a heavy workload of late, so he called on Tony Watson to record the first two outs of the ninth before Hunter Strickland picked up his first save since June 10. Though Stratton s season ERA climbed to 5.52 after a dreadful three-inning start against the D backs August 3, the right-hander lowered it more than half of a point with 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball against the Mets and one of the best performances of his career Monday. Like Stratton, rookie outfielder Steven Duggar understands setbacks are a part of the game. After a breakout 2016 season with Double-A Richmond put Duggar on the fast-track to the big leagues, a hip injury sidelined him for the first half of last season. The lost time likely cost Duggar a chance to prove he could start in center field right out of the gate in 2018, but after spending more than three months adjusting his swing at Triple-A Sacramento, Duggar has finally received a chance to show he belongs. After Duggar s RBI triple proved to be the difference in Sunday s win over the Rangers, the Giants center fielder provided another key hit in Monday s game against Arizona lefty Patrick Corbin, who made his sixth start against San Francisco this season. With two outs and the pitcher on deck in the bottom of the second, Duggar lined a two-run home run into the right field arcade for his first career homer at AT&T Park. The fastball from 4

5 Corbin was right on the inside corner, but Duggar turned on it for his second homer of the season and became the first player to homer off Corbin since Michael Conforto of the Mets took him deep June 16. Off a pitcher of his caliber, he s one of the tougher ones that I ve seen for sure, Duggar said. To be able to get one, square one up and see it leave, that was definitely exciting. Though the rookie outfielder is known more for his glove than his bat, Duggar has used the last two months to establish himself as an everyday player the Giants can rely on heading into He has the range to cover gaps in the vast outfields of the National League West, the speed to make an impact on the base paths and a developing approach at the plate that could help him take over as the Giants regular leadoff hitter as soon as next season. He s not going to hit (eighth) his whole career, trust me, Bochy said. After Duggar s home run, the Giants didn t record another hit against Corbin until Andrew McCutchen doubled in the sixth, but Stratton was as dominant as he s been in any start since he tossed seven innings of one-hit ball against the Padres April 12. Stratton allowed leadoff singles in each of his first three innings, but induced a key popout from D backs slugger Paul Goldschmidt with one out in the first and pitched around singles in the next two frames. The right-hander had plenty of help from shortstop Brandon Crawford, who was all over the diamond Monday as he continued to build his Gold Glove candidacy. With one out in the sixth, Crawford stole a single from Goldschmidt with a diving stop in the hole between third and short on a play that will end up on his end-of-season highlight reel. That was unbelievable, Stratton said. With back-to-back impressive outings, Stratton has given himself an opportunity to remain in the rotation and build his résumé for a spot as a starter next year. Though the odds of the Giants being able to rely on Stratton were slim at the beginning of the month, a fix he made with his mechanics during a bullpen session with former San Francisco right-hander Ryan Vogelsong has triggered a drastic change in his results. I think all of my starts are important and I think every day here is a blessing, Stratton said. I m just happy to be here and I appreciate the opportunity and like I ve said before, learning from guys like Bum and (Matt) Cain and Vogelsong, guys just pouring into you has really helped out. Posey undergoes surgery Catcher Buster Posey underwent surgery Monday to address his right hip impingement and 5

6 repair a torn labrum. The operation was performed by Dr. Marc Philippon in Vail, Colorado. The Giants expect Posey s recovery process to take between six-to-eight months and are hopeful he ll be ready to catch in time for Opening Day of With Posey on the disabled list, rookie Aramis Garcia is serving as the backup to Nick Hundley at catcher. Bochy said Garcia could make his debut as a starter in Wednesday s series finale. San Jose Mercury News Giants anticipating smaller group of September call-ups Kerry Crowley SAN FRANCISCO September 1 is rapidly approaching, but as teams around baseball prepare for expanded 40-man rosters, the Giants aren t anticipating an influx of new faces to arrive in their clubhouse. Manager Bruce Bochy hinted the Giants are expecting a smaller group of September call-ups this year as the club doesn t have many young prospects left to evaluate. Several players who began the season at lower levels of the organization including Steven Duggar, Dereck Rodríguez and Andrew Suárez have already received extensive major league opportunities. Bochy indicated the Giants will add a handful of pitchers to fortify a bullpen that s been taxed heavily throughout the year, but most position players the Giants want to look at are members of the 25-man roster. You look at our position players and we have coverage in the outfield and the infield, Bochy said. There s some guys down there that are going to be here. I don t want them to read this and think we re not going to bring guys up, we are. But of course we re going to need some help on the pitching side. Kelby Tomlinson and Ryder Jones are among the candidates the Giants will consider for promotion in the infield, but Evan Longoria and Brandon Belt will continue to start at the corners while the team has four middle infielders already. The numbers may not be quite as big as they ve been in the past, Bochy said. With power-hitting outfielder Mac Williamson sidelined due to concussion symptoms, top hitting prospect Chris Shaw, 24, is the lone outfielder who could be in line for a September callup. Shaw leads the organization with 23 home runs for Triple-A Sacramento this year and the Giants will need to add him to the 40-man roster this offseason anyway. The primary issue the Giants must consider before promoting Shaw is finding enough at-bats for the left fielder. If Andrew McCutchen isn t traded before the August 31 waiver deadline, the team will still have five full-time outfielders on the roster. There s a case to be made for playing Shaw everyday in September anyway, but it s unclear if the Giants feel compelled to do so. 6

7 After beginning the season with Double-A Richmond, top pitching prospect Shaun Anderson may also receive his first taste of big league action in September. Anderson has a 3.61 ERA in seven starts with Triple-A Sacramento and has emerged as a potential contributor to the 2019 starting rotation. Anderson has already logged a career-high innings across two levels this year, so the Giants may also shut him down once the minor league season ends. Reliever Ray Black is a near lock to return in September while the Giants may also benefit from adding Pierce Johnson, Derek Law and or Casey Kelly, who have all had stints with the big league club this year. Another pitcher worth evaluating in September is right-handed reliever Tyler Rogers, who has yet to be added to the 40-man roster. Rogers is a two-time Triple-A All-Star and has posted a 2.22 ERA in 49 games for Sacramento this season. If the Giants choose not to add Rogers to the 40-man roster this offseason, he will almost certainly be picked up by another franchise in the Rule 5 Draft. If the Giants want to evaluate Shaw, Anderson and or Rogers, they will need to create 40-man roster spots. Catcher Buster Posey can be transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make space for one player. Garcia ready for action With Posey sidelined for the remainder of the season, prospect Aramis Garcia has joined the Giants and is in line to make his major league debut. Bochy has yet to decide when Garcia will play, but the 2014 second round draft choice could start in Wednesday s series finale against Arizona. Garcia was a likely September call-up, but like many other younger Giants, he arrived earlier. Bochy said the Giants are leaning toward keeping just two catchers when rosters expand, but the franchise will likely ask Triple-A catcher Ronnie Freeman to stay ready in the event Garcia or Nick Hundley suffers an injury. MLB.com Stellar Stratton makes Duggar's blast hold up Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- Flashy defense. Startling offense. Shutdown pitching. These were the elements the Giants employed Monday night to secure a 2-0 triumph over the D-backs. San Francisco combined right-hander Chris Stratton's career-best eight-inning effort with Steven Duggar's two-run homer to subdue the National League West leaders. 7

8 Now the Giants must essentially repeat this performance as much as possible during their final 29 games to realize their far-fetched dreams of rejoining the pursuit of a postseason spot. For at least the next couple of days, San Francisco can gain ground in the most direct way possible: by defeating the first-place club. Occupying fourth place in the West, the Giants trimmed the gap separating them from Arizona to seven games. With their two best starters, Madison Bumgarner and Dereck Rodriguez, scheduled to pitch the series' remaining games, the Giants can legitimately entertain thoughts of further whittling that lead. "In this game, you have a job to do. It doesn't matter where you're at," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "You still gotta believe. You still have to have faith that you can get on a run, a nice roll, and get back in this thing.... Sure, it's an uphill climb. But you keep fighting. You don't know what can happen." The Giants' biggest surprise on Monday was Stratton (9-7), who picked an excellent time to deliver the best performance of his Major League career. The right-hander yielded five hits in eight innings. Stratton set the tone immediately by escaping a first-and-second, nobody-out jam in the first inning. David Peralta grounded into a force play. The formidable Paul Goldschmidt -- 7-for-14 lifetime vs. Stratton -- lined out to second base. Daniel Descalso then grounded out to end the threat. "I think that gave him a little tailwind," D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. "When he wiggled out of that first inning after the first two batters getting on, I felt like it was a little push for him. He was making pitches. It was a fastball with some secondary stuff. And he was locating that fastball. That secondary stuff was very effective to both right- and left-handed hitters." Afterward, Stratton didn't need much defensive help, given the scarcity of baserunners. Nevertheless, shortstop Brandon Crawford electrified the AT&T Park crowd by darting into the hole, anchoring himself on one knee and unleashing a powerful throw to first to retire Goldschmidt in the sixth inning. "That was unbelievable," Stratton said. "He makes plays like that all the time, so it's nothing new." The scant offense that the Giants mustered against D-backs starter Patrick Corbin (10-5) was enough for them to seal their seventh victory in their last nine games against Arizona. Duggar, who made the difference in the Giants' 3-1 win over Texas on Sunday with a two-run triple, this time cleared the right-field wall in the second inning with Crawford aboard via a single. Duggar is batting.379 (11-for-29) with four extra-base hits and eight RBIs in his last eight home games. 8

9 SOUND SMART A few weeks ago, during one of his two demotions this year to Triple-A Sacramento, Stratton worked with ex-giants starter Ryan Vogelsong on some mechanical issues during a betweenstart bullpen session in Nashville. Vogelsong, a 2011 All-Star with the Giants who led the team in wins during the 2012 postseason, told Stratton that they were a lot alike as pitchers. The Giants have sent Vogelsong to various Minor League affiliates to help tutor pitchers. Stratton said that before Vogelsong tweaked his pitching delivery, "I think I was getting too rotational." YOU GOTTA SEE THIS Duggar's home run left his bat at an exit velocity of mph, according to Statcast. That's the hardest hit ball of Duggar's career, passing his two-run double against Oakland on July 13 (104.8). UP NEXT Bumgarner (5-5, 2.88 ERA), who will start Tuesday's 7:15 p.m. PT game against the D-backs, has allowed three runs or fewer in 12 of his 15 starts. The Giants are 4-3 behind Bumgarner at home, compared to 3-5 on the road. He'll oppose right-hander Clay Buchholz (7-2, 2.25), who's 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in three career starts against the Giants. MLB.com Posey undergoes surgery on right hip Manny Randhawa Giants catcher Buster Posey underwent right hip surgery Monday to address hip impingement and repair a torn labrum. He is scheduled to return to the Bay Area later this week to begin his rehabilitation, which is expected to last six to eight months. The procedure was performed by Dr. Marc Philippon at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colo. Posey is hopeful that addressing the hip issue will help him regain his full range of skills as a hitter. Posey has struggled to the lowest OPS+ (102) in any full season of his career this season. He hit.284/.359/.382 with five home runs in 105 games this season, seeing his slugging percentage drop from.462 in Posey said he was ready to play out the rest of 2018 if the Giants remained in postseason contention, but entering play on Monday, San Francisco was eight games back in both the National League West and NL Wild Card races. "You don't want to say you're out of it until you're out of it," Posey said. "But unfortunately, where we are, I think it makes the most sense to get this taken care of." 9

10 MLB.com McCutchen trade chatter dying down Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- The Andrew McCutchen trade rumors have cooled considerably since they began brewing about a week ago. McCutchen, the Giants' everyday right fielder, reportedly cleared revocable trade waivers, The Athletic first reported, making him eligible to be traded to any team. Trade talk involving McCutchen immediately started swirling. However, two National League scouts familiar with the Giants' organization said Monday that chatter within the industry about McCutchen had slowed to an occasional mention, indicating that a trade did not appear imminent. But one of the scouts didn't entirely rule out a McCutchen deal. "It depends on what kind of role he'd have," the scout said, suggesting that the 2013 National League Most Valuable Player could prove helpful by filling platoon or part-time responsibilities. McCutchen, 31, entered Monday batting.254 with team highs in homers (15) and RBIs (54). Players must be on a roster by Friday to be eligible for the postseason, creating the urgency to make deals at this time of year. NBC Sports Bay Area Chris Stratton grabs Giants rotation spot after longest career start Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO The shuttle back and forth from Sacramento to AT&T Park is rough for any young player, but there was an added degree of difficulty for Chris Stratton this summer. The Strattons had their second child in April, and every transaction this summer meant two young parents were packing up a growing family. On one occasion, they moved into a new apartment in the minors, only for the right-hander to return to the big leagues within a few days. For the next month, the Strattons can relax. The second start back was better than the first, and after an up-and-down season, Stratton appears poised for another lengthy audition in September. He threw eight shutout innings Monday, leading the Giants to a 2-0 win over the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks. Stratton, despite two stints in the minors, will enter September as the rotation's leader with nine wins. All my starts are important, Stratton said afterward. Every day here is a blessing. I m happy to be here and I appreciate the opportunity. 10

11 He certainly is taking advantage of it. In two starts back, Stratton has allowed just two runs in 14 1/3 innings. He once again mentioned the work Ryan Vogelsong did to help fix his mechanics, and on Monday, Stratton repeatedly pounded the bottom of the strike zone and once again found the right line with his fastball. That allowed manager Bruce Bochy to challenge him on a night when he was without Will Smith, Mark Melancon and Reyes Moronta. Stratton was at 101 pitches after seven and Bochy had Tony Watson warming up, but when Stratton didn t have to hit in the bottom of the inning, he went back out for the eighth. The Diamondbacks sent A.J. Pollock up to pinch-hit but Stratton got him to fly out to center. Jon Jay grounded out to third, with Austin Slater making a tremendous scoop to save Evan Longoria. On his 117th pitch, Stratton threw a curveball that Eduardo Escobar waved at. He walked off to a standing ovation. He handled it, Bochy said. He was getting outs. His stuff was still good in the seventh, that s why he went back out there. The stuff was right where it needed to be at that point. He was staying out there as long as he was getting outs. He really handled it well. Lots of times the pitcher thinks his work is done after 100 pitches, but he kept his focus. Stratton became the first Giants starter this season to throw more than 112 pitches. He joined Bumgarner as the only Giants to throw eight innings this season. The staff still does not have a complete game. For the Giants, this was a complete win. Steven Duggar provided the offense with a two-run shot off tough lefty Patrick Corbin, his first at AT&T Park. The defense was spectacular, with Brandon Crawford robbing Paul Goldschmidt of a hit and Austin Slater showing off fresh skills at first base. The projection systems say the Giants no shot of winning the NL West, but this was not the night to tell them that. They got a game back from the division leaders and now trail the Diamondbacks by seven. You look at the history of the game, some crazier things have happened, Bochy said. The reality is that the Giants are playing for 2019, but that's fine. On this night they could feel pretty good about a young pitcher who might once again be in that mix. NBC Sports Bay Area Chris Stratton bests D'backs ace Patrick Corbin in Giants' third straight win Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO This season, Diamondbacks starter Patrick Corbin has followed the path worn down by another NL West lefty. Corbin has not missed the Giants on the schedule, a 11

12 reminder of years when Clayton Kershaw would face them once a month. Monday s start against the Giants was Corbin s sixth in six series this season, and he once again was sharp, but he wasn t the best to take the mound. Chris Stratton threw eight shutout innings in the longest start of his career and the Giants edged the Diamondbacks 2-0. The Giants do not want to be called a "spoiler," so we'll instead point out that they took a game off the first-place club and crept back within seven. Here's what else you need to know... - Stratton threw 117 pitches, the most by a Giants starter this season. He allowed five hits, walked none, and struck out six. Since coming back from the minors, Stratton has given up just two runs in 14 1/3 innings. - Steven Duggar hasn t been here long, but he certainly knows where a left-handed hitter should aim at AT&T Park. Duggar s first homer at home was a rocket pulled right down the line. The two-run shot in the second inning was the first homer allowed by Corbin since June 16. Both of Duggar s big league homers have come against the Diamondbacks. - Paul Goldschmidt runs very well for a big man, but that didn t stop Brandon Crawford from robbing him in the sixth. Goldschmidt hit a grounder deep to the hole and Crawford made a sliding stop and popped up in one move, uncorking a strong throw to first to stun Goldschmidt. - Austin Slater had a nice stretch to help Crawford get Goldschmidt out, and he made a great scoop an inning later. Slater has done a nice job at first, and the Giants should probably see if he can be a backup at other spots, too. They appear unwilling to make him the left fielder. Perhaps he s a super-utility guy, though? - The Giants drew big crowds for most of the summer, but with the Diamondbacks in town, and school back in session, this was a rough one. They announced 38,808 but the lower deck was about half empty throughout the night and huge swatches of the bleachers were open. NBC Sports Bay Area Giants C Buster Posey undergoes hip surgery, rehab set to begin Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO -- The clock has officially started on the second significant rehab process of Buster Posey's career. Posey underwent surgery Monday afternoon to address a an impingement in his right hip and repair a torn labrum that bothered him at the plate all season. The Giants announced Monday evening that Posey's surgery had been completed by Dr. Marc Philippon at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. He will rest for a couple of days before returning to San Francisco to begin his rehab. Posey is expected to miss six to eight months, which puts next opening day somewhat in doubt. 12

13 The Giants currently are seven months and three days from their 2019 opener at Petco Park. When he announced that he would be having surgery, Posey said he was optimistic that he would be back in time. "If things go smoothly with no hiccups, I'll be ready to go next opening day," he said on Friday. With Posey out for the remainder of the season, the Giants will give Nick Hundley most of the time behind the plate. Hundley has started every game since Posey announced he was having surgery, but manager Bruce Bochy said rookie Aramis Garcia could make his MLB debut on Wednesday. In his 10th big league season, Posey finished with a.284 average and.741 OPS. Robbed of an ability to generate power from his lower half, he hit just five homers and drove in 41 runs in 105 appearances. The Athletic The story of Ryan Vogelsong s valuable advice for Chris Stratton, who muzzled Arizona in a 2-0 Giants win David Lombardi Perhaps the turning point for Chris Stratton came earlier this month on a bullpen mound in Nashville, 2,300 miles from San Francisco. Picture a 95-degree afternoon with 94 percent humidity. Then picture Stratton, on assignment with Triple-A Sacramento looking to rediscover his command, sweating through his regularlyscheduled bullpen session. And then picture the now-retired Ryan Vogelsong, who won two World Series with the Giants earlier this decade, visiting First Tennessee Park on that steaming afternoon. Picture Vogelsong, the former pitcher, playing the role of a mechanic for the position, hovering behind the mound, analyzing Stratton s every delivery. Vogey came and saw me in Nashville, Stratton said Monday. And it was all about the adjustments we made there. Shortly after that early August tune-up, the Giants recalled Stratton to the big leagues. In his return against the Mets last week, he tossed 6 1/3 innings of two-run ball. And in his second try Monday night, back in the cool 60-degree San Francisco summer, Stratton victoriously applied every single adjustment that Vogelsong had prescribed in the Nashville heat, throwing a career-high eight innings of shutout ball to lead the Giants to a 2-0 win over the division-leading Diamondbacks. Stratton s 117 pitches were the most thrown by a Giants pitcher this year, topping Dereck 13

14 Rodríguez s tally of 112 in San Diego on July 31. Stratton also became the only Giant not named Madison Bumgarner to go eight innings in a game this season. Stratton s ERA dipped to 4.99 after ballooning as high as 5.52 in a loss at Arizona exactly a month ago, a defeat in which he lasted only three innings and one that led to a demotion. At the low point, along came Vogelsong. It was probably the worst game of catch that I had thrown in my life, Stratton said of how discombobulated he was when the bullpen session with Vogelsong in Nashville began. Because I was trying to focus on all these different moving parts and trying to lock them in once I got on the mound. But Vogelsong was just right behind me, coaching me with what he does. He told me to stay in a better line. I think I was just getting a little too rotational and just opening up too much, so I think that really helped me out. Vogelsong, of course, has earned a permanent place in Giants lore for his triumphant resurrection from ineffectiveness. After beginning his career with the Giants, Vogelsong struggled his way out of the MLB with the Pirates in He was relegated to the Japanese league before resurfacing with the Giants in 2011, where he delivered a stellar stretch of pitching that helped anchor World Series titles in 2012 and So if there s anyone who s qualified to speak on reversing pitching struggles, it s Vogelsong. And it just so happens that the former pitcher, who retired in 2016, sees a lot of himself in Stratton. He said that we were very similar, Stratton said, explaining that Vogelsong has drawn many parallels between his delivery and Stratton s over the years. So that was one of the cues that he used to help me out focusing on my shoulders, keeping them in line a bit longer. The tweaks allowed Stratton to find a sweet spot of pinpoint precision Monday, and that flummoxed the Diamondbacks. Of his 117 pitches, Stratton threw only 45 four-seam fastballs a season-low rate of 38 percent. Stratton offered a relatively even distribution with the rest of his pitches (two-seam fastball, changeup, curve, slider), significant since he s normally relied more heavily on his sharp curve in the past. But in handcuffing Arizona, Stratton threw more changeups than sliders or curves for the first time since So this was an exhibition in total comfort and command a full, balanced display of his entire arsenal, and not just his top pitch. Against these guys, Stratton said, I ve gotta mix it up like that. Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was Stratton s primary tormentor before this game, having entered it 7 for 14 with three doubles and a triple against him. But Stratton used 14

15 a perfectly-placed fastball to jam Goldschmidt with two on in the first inning, and then he used the sensational defensive combination of Brandon Crawford and Austin Slater to frustrate the Arizona slugger later in the game: (Crawford) makes plays like that all the time, so it s nothing new, Stratton said. The defense was unbelievable today. In the midst of all that, center fielder Steven Duggar launched Patrick Corbin s second-inning offering onto the arcade for his second career home run, giving Stratton and the Giants defense a lead that wouldn t be relinquished. Hunter Strickland working so the Giants could give closer Will Smith a second straight day of rest worked out of a jam in the ninth to clear the way for Tony Bennett on AT&T Park s sound system. Duggar is now hitting 14 for 40 (.350) against left-handed pitching in the big leagues after batting only.179 against lefties in Triple-A Sacramento this season. The Giants, who are hungry to see Duggar s bat develop to complement his stellar outfield defense, will certainly be thrilled if that trend continues. He s got some power, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Duggar. That ball really comes off his bat. But this was Stratton s night. He finished Arizona off in the seventh inning, hitting the 100-pitch mark on a fastball that struck out Alex Avila. Giants catcher Nick Hundley lobbied Bochy vociferously for Stratton to stay in the game for the eighth, and the manager obliged. I didn t know if I was coming out, Stratton said. But if no one comes and shakes your hand, you re staying in there. Stratton retired the Diamondbacks in order to finish his outing, which ended with that signature biting curve. Eduardo Escobar whiffed over the top of it, and 38,808 rose to salute Stratton with a standing ovation as he walked into the dugout. This was a performance that fittingly evoked memories of Vogelsong s most dominant ones in Giants uniform, and that s where some symmetry entered the equation on Monday night. The Giants, after all, drafted Stratton in June 2012, when Vogelsong was in the midst of his resurgence. Just over four months after that, Vogelsong started Game 3 of the World Series, teaming up with Tim Lincecum (who came out of the bullpen during that postseason) and Sergio Romo to shut out Detroit 2-0. The Giants finished their sweep of the Tigers the next night. Stratton, the fresh Giants draftee, hung on to every pitch on TV. 15

16 I remember Vogelsong, just the changeups away he was throwing and the two-seams, he was eating people up with two-seams for strikes, Stratton said. It was unbelievable to sit back and watch and imagine myself being up there. Now, their roles are reversed, with a teaching component added to the mix: Stratton is pitching for the Giants, while Vogelsong is watching a 2-0 shutout from afar. If I can just get his changeup, I ll be OK, Stratton said with a smile. On Monday night, he certainly had that changeup. And as he muzzled the Diamondbacks, Stratton was certainly OK. Buster Posey s hip surgery ran late, but it went well. The operation was still ongoing when Bochy met with the media late Monday afternoon, but ended during the early innings of the game. After the game, Bochy said that doctors reported that Posey s surgery had been a success. The catcher is resting in Vail, Colorado, now and is expected to rejoin the Giants in San Francisco on Thursday. The team hopes to have him back in the lineup for the beginning of KNBR 680 Duggar talks Giants potential with three-game win streak: We might surprise some people R.J. Anderson The Giants aren t finished yet at least according to Steven Duggar and Bruce Bochy. The team (66-67) is still a game under.500 and seven games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West Division, but they ve won three straight games, with the latest win coming against those Diamondbacks. It s a small stretch, but one that has given Bochy and Duggar cause for positivity. Duggar s first home run at AT&T Park tonight didn t hurt either. Since we ve been home, we ve played pretty lights-out, Duggar said. It s exciting to see. It s a lot of fun to show up to the park, especially with these guys. I ve said that before. But if we can keep rattling off some wins, we might surprise some people, sneak up on somebody. You never really know. Bochy was of a similar mindset. Having seen decades of baseball played, the Giants skipper refused to rule out any scenario. You don t know what can happen, Bochy said. You look throughout the history of the game, there have been some crazier things that have happened. We re going to be out here battling every game to see if we can find our way back into it. That s our job. You never quit. 16

17 The Giants will likely need to string together more than their season-high of five-straight wins, or create a pair of those small win streaks to get back into playoff contention. Bochy said that s something players need to believe is possible. In this game, you have a job to do, Bochy said. It doesn t matter where you re at. You still have to believe, you still have to have faith. You know, you get on a run, a nice roll and you can get back in this thing. Sure, it s an uphill climb, but you keep fighting. it's these Giants. KNBR 680 Stratton credits Vogelsong s mentorship for resurgence: Everything got better Jacob Hutchinson Chris Stratton remembers exactly when and where his lowest point came this season; but more important than that, he remembers exactly who helped him turn it around. It was just the bullpen that I threw in Nashville, it was probably the worst game of catch I ve ever played, Stratton said. I was trying to focus on all these different moving parts and trying to lock them in. And as soon as I got on the mound, Vogelsong was right behind me, kind of coaching me along with what he does and just helped me stay in a better line. I think I was just getting a little too rotational and flying open a little bit too much and he helped me out. Stratton said Ryan Vogelsong, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner have made themselves available to young Giants pitchers like himself, Andy Suarez and Dereck Rodriguez and the less-young Derek Holland. Rodriguez is a contender for Rookie-of-the-Year, Holland s last outing was a one-run gem, Stratton just pitched an eight-inning shutout and Suarez just had his own shutout in seven innings. I think every day here is a blessing and I m just happy to be here, Stratton said. And like I ve said before, just learning from guys like Bum and Cain previously and Vogelsong, I think those guys just pouring into you has really helped out. It s helped me and Suarez and Rodriguez out a ton, just being young, and Holland as well. Stratton was nothing but complimentary to Vogelsong, adding that the Giants legend made a comparison between the two. He said that we were very similar, Stratton said. That was one of the queues that he used that helped him out, so that ended up helping me out as well. He s just a good mentor to some of the younger guys. He s come up to me a few times even before that and was trying to help me out. I m glad that he s hanging around and sharing his knowledge. The 28-year-old s outing started with a pair of singles, making the final result of an eight-inning shutout all the more impressive. Stratton said there was no question getting out of the first inning unharmed was crucial for him. 17

18 First at-bat I thought I made some great pitches all the way up until the two strikes when he got the hit and the next guy just did a good job inside-out, Stratton said. So I guess I m glad Peralta grounded out to first. That was big for me in that moment. KNBR 680 Stratton sizzles through eight shutout innings as Giants down Diamondbacks Jacob Hutchinson Yes, that Chris Stratton. The same Chris Stratton who started Monday night s game with a 5.37 ERA after spending most of August in the minors threw eight shutout innings against the firstplace Arizona Diamondbacks and led the Giants to a 2-0 win. The start was both the longest and best start of Stratton s career. He s had six other shutout starts of six or more innings, and one of seven innings. But Bruce Bochy put his full trust in Stratton on Saturday, letting him throw 117 pitches for his first-ever eight-inning start. While the outcome was stellar, it seemed extremely unlikely at the start of the game. Stratton allowed a pair of singles to Jon Jay and Eduardo Escobar before retired the hitters in the Arizona lineup in order. From there, Stratton only relinquished another three hits in the game. He wasn t dominant or overpowering, striking out six batters, but he was in perfect command of his pitches and worked efficiently. The Giants were faced with another strong pitcher on the opposing mound in Patrick Corbin, but a burst of power from Steven Duggar ripped a hole through an otherwise fantastic seveninning, two-run and four-hit performance from Corbin. In the bottom of the second, with two outs and Brandon Crawford on first, Duggar worked a 3-1 count before teeing off on Corbin. He shot a line-drive into the arcade in right field for his first home run in AT&T Park, giving the team the only runs it needed to secure the win. Crawford s run came in addition to a classically outstanding defensive performance from him. He recorded four 6-4 putouts and was constantly involved in scooping up defensive plays all night, highlighted by an absurd play to throw out Paul Goldschmidt. In the ninth, Tony Watson entered for a save opportunity after Mark Melancon picked up backto-back saves in the two games prior. Watson faced the heart of the Arizona order, starting with the No. 3 hitter in David Peralta. Watson retired Peralta before walking Paul Goldschmidt, but rebounded and struck out Daniel Descalso. Watson was pulled at that point, as Steven Souza Jr. stepped up to face Hunter Strickland. Souza had argued with home plate umpire and crew chief Brian Gorman after striking out looking in the seventh, but avoided ejection. 18

19 Strickland came in and walked Souza to give Nick Ahmed a chance to bat with a runner in scoring position and two outs. But Strickland recovered, forcing a fly ball out from Ahmed to secure the win, moving the Giants to KNBR 680 Buster Posey undergoes hip surgery in Colorado Jacob Hutchinson Buster Posey played his last game of the season for the Giants on Friday. While he nearly came up in a pinch-hitting situation Saturday, the chance fell through and Posey left the team on Sunday for Vail, Colorado. Today, he underwent surgery on a right hip that had bothered him all season long. The surgery was performed by Dr. Marc Philippon at The Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado. According to a press release from the Giants, Posey is resting comfortably and is expected to return to the Bay Area later this week where he ll begin his rehabilitation. It is unclear how long Posey s rehab will take, but Posey and the team s hope is that he will be able to start for the Giants on opening day. Dave Groeschner, the Giants director of athletic training, was there for the surgery and had previously relayed news to manager Bruce Bochy that the surgery had been delayed. Bochy said he wasn t sure what the cause of the delay was, but added he d talk to Groeschner after surgery to find out how it went. SF Bay Stratton, Giants put down division-leading D-backs Julie Parker Many have ruled the Giants out of the post-season and it s not an unreasonable assumption to make at this point. They came into the series opener against the division-leading Diamondbacks two games under.500 and eight games back in the division. But the two teams on the field weren t especially distinguishable Monday night. The Giants (66-67) didn t look like underdogs punching above their weight, and the D Backs (72-59) didn t look like heavies coming into town to take on easy prey to pad their lead in the West. And as it turned out, the better team Monday was the team everyone has counted out, as San Francisco took a 2-0 victory over Arizona on the back of a marvelous start from Chris Stratton. Patrick Corbin (L, 10-5, 3.15 ERA) hasn t allowed more than three runs against the Giants this season, and he makes a habit of whiffing San Francisco batters who struggle to discriminate between his fastball and his slider. In the final series of the season for these two teams Corbin was no different notching nine strikeouts and allowing just four hits. The pitch that made a difference in the game wasn t even a bad one. It just turned out that, while Corbin was good, the 27-year-old kid from Mississippi was better. 19

20 Despite a shaky first few innings Stratton (W, 8-8, 4.99 ERA) looked just as intimidating on the mound as Corbin. He allowed lead-off singles in each of his first three innings, but he muscled through it without allowing a run and by the fourth inning he kicked it into gear. Manager Bruce Bochy was deeply impressed by the righty s performance as it marks the second game in a row Stratton has performed well after being sent to Triple-A to work on locating his pitches: You know he s thrown some really nice games, you go back to last year and early this year, but I d have to put this up there [as] one of his best games. He was really good with his command and all his pitches curveball slider, change he really spotted his fastball well. Aside from a two-out triple in the fifth Stratton allowed no further hits and kept the D Backs scoreless through seven innings allowing five hits, but at 101 pitches Bochy decided his stuff was still strong and he would stay in until he couldn t get outs. Stratton said: I didn t know [if] I was going back out, but if nobody comes and shakes your hand then you re still in there, so you gotta stay locked in. I think Hundo [Nick Hundley] fought for me to go back out. And his skipper s trust was not misplaced. It took 16 pitches but Stratton tossed a inning coaxing a line out, a ground out, and his sixth strikeout. This was just his second start since spending some time with former-giant and roving minor league instructor Ryan Vogelsong while he was in Nashville with the River Cats. Vogelsong observed him throw a bullpen in Tennessee and noted that the two had similar pitching styles which was helped the veteran diagnose the problem. That was probably the worst game of catch I ve ever played in my life just because I was trying to focus on all these different moving parts and trying to lock em in. And as soon as I got on the mound Vogelsong was just right behind me and just kinda coaching me along with what he does. [He] just kinda helped me stay in a better line. I think I was just getting a little too rotational and just flying open a little too much. In his first Big League outing since meeting with Vogelsong he tossed 6-1/3 allowing two runs on six hits against the Mets last week, which was a nice buildup to Monday s tremendous start which, at 117 pitches and eight innings was his longest this season. But it would have all been for naught if rookie Steven Duggar wasn t underestimated by a pitcher for the second night in a row. Batting in the eight hole, as he has in recent games, both Rangers pitcher Yovani Gallardo and Corbin had the option to pitch around Duggar with the 20

21 pitcher on deck and a base open. In Gallardo s case, Duggar yanked a 2-2 slider up and in, into Triples Alley to clear the bases. Corbin was a bit more cautious than Gallardo, but Duggar showed him up anyway. Duggar dug a 3-1 fastball down and in and swatted it over Levi s Landing to give the Giants a 2-0 lead. The two run shot was his second big league homer and his first at home: It was exciting, to say the least. [To get the] first one [at AT&T Park] off a pitcher of his caliber he s one of the tougher ones that I ve seen for sure and to be able to get one, square one up and see it leave, that was definitely exciting. Tony Watson came in to pitch the ninth and issued a one-out four-pitch walk to Paul Goldschmidt, and after Watson managed to strike out Daniel Descalso, Bochy opted to pit Hunter Strickland (S, 14, 2.95 ERA) against Steven Souza Jr. in his first save opportunity since June 18, the fated game against Miami in which he blew the ninth inning lead and got in a fight with a door in the tunnel of the dugout after being hooked by Bochy. Strickland tempted fate, walking Souza but ultimately he coaxed a lazy fly to right field from Nick Ahmed that nestled comfortably into Andrew McCutchen s glove, putting 38,308 Giants fans at the park at ease. UP NEXT Game two of three against the D Backs will feature Madison Bumgarner (5-5, 2.88 ERA) on the bump taking on Clay Buchholz (7-2, 2.25 ERA) for the 7:15 p.m. matchup. NOTES Buster Posey is resting comfortably after undergoing arthroscopic hip surgery to repair the labrum in his right hip in Vail, Colorado by Dr. Marc Philippon. He is expected to return to the Bay Area later this week to begin rehab and the Giants hope he will be fully recovered by Opening Day Bochy said rookie catcher Aramis Garcia may see his first big league action behind the plate in the series finale against Arizona Wednesday, though this has not been set in stone yet. Hundley stole his second base of the year Monday, it also happened to be his second in the last four days. Stratton and the Giants held Goldschmidt hitless (0-for-3 with a walk), which might be regarded as a minor miracle for a guy who regularly torments Giants pitching and came into the Monday s match hitting 7-for-14 off Stratton. Santa Rosa Press Democrat Chris Stratton s strong outing carries Giants to 2-0 win Michael Wagaman SAN FRANCISCO Chris Stratton threw a career-high eight innings to outpitch Patrick Corbin, and the Giants blanked the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0 Monday night on a two-run homer by Steven Duggar. 21