SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants used to be notorious for following the same flawed plan when dealing with roster moves. A player would get hurt and then he would sit on the bench, listed as day-to-day, until he hit a fifth or sixth day off, or sometimes more. Eventually, he would go on the disabled list later than he should have.
The team has been more aggressive in the last couple of years. The 10-day DL has helped, and the Giants have more flexibility now that more players on the 40-man roster have minor league options. Pierce Johnson was one of several in 2018 who rode the shuttle back and forth.
Johnson was sent to minor-league camp early in the spring, but pitched well every time he returned to Scottsdale Stadium, earning his first career Opening Day roster spot. That was the first of five different stints in the big leagues.
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What Went Right
Johnson got some milestones out of the way. He started the year in the majors, and picked up his first win on April 30. At that point, he was pitching well and looked to be a nice find. Through the end of April, Johnson had a 2.57 ERA, and it was down to 2.25 through his 13th appearance.
A right-hander, Johnson had weird reverse splits. He held lefties to a .222 average and they hit just one homer off him in 63 at-bats.
What Went Wrong
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After that hot start, he struggled Johnson gave up six earned runs in 2/3 of an inning against the Phillies on May 11 and had a 5.54 ERA the rest of the way. For the season, Johnson had a 5.56 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, with walks being the mail culprit. He walked 11.8 percent of the batters he faced, the second-highest rate among regular Giants relievers.
While Johnson did a pretty good job against lefties, right-handed hitters had a .459 slugging percentage against him. This bullpen has enough options from the left side, and Johnson, if he is back in 2019, will have to have more success against right-handed hitters to stick in the big leagues.
Contract Status
Johnson made the major league minimum — $545,000 — in 2018.
The Future
The staff liked Johnson, 27, and he was a great story last spring. But he is one of several on the 40-man roster who could be in trouble as prospects are protected from the Rule 5 Draft and free agents are signed. The Giants also currently have five players on the 60-day DL, and they will have to be added once the season is over. Several relievers who pitched in the big leagues in 2018 will be cut loose.