SAN DIEGO — Before the 2024 MLB season opener Thursday, Giants manager Bob Melvin said his conversation with Luis Matos was the toughest one he had as the roster was finalized. A day later, Matos arrived back in the big leagues.
With Mike Yastrzemski on the paternity list and Luke Jackson on the IL, the Giants brought Matos and right-hander Kai-Wei Teng down from Sacramento. The Matos move was expected, although the Teng addition was an emergency addition.
The Giants went with 12 pitchers on their initial roster, and one of them — Blake Snell — isn’t even in San Diego. Jackson strained his back in the seventh inning of the opener so Landen Roupp, previously the long man, will move up in the pecking order. Teng will be the long man and he should be able to provide some length after going three innings in his final minor league game in Arizona.
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It will be day-to-day with the pitching staff through at least the weekend, which could include a rainout. But if Teng does get into a game, the 25-year-old will be making his MLB debut. Asked about his excitement level, Teng smiled
“On a scale of one to 10, probably a 15,” he said.
Matos played in 76 big league games last season and did all he could this spring to win a job, hitting four homers with an OPS over 1.000. The Giants didn’t feel they had a spot on their initial roster, but Yastrzemski flew back to San Francisco after Thursday’s game for the birth of his second child.
Matos said he took the initial roster move in stride. He tried not to think too much about his status during spring training.
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"I went about my business and tried to perform," he said.
Help Is On The Way
Alex Cobb threw five innings in a simulated game in Scottsdale on Thursday, getting past the 50-pitch mark. Melvin said the Giants don't yet know where Cobb’s next start will be, but he doesn't appear far from being an option at the big league level.
Because Cobb went on the IL on Thursday, he can’t be activated until April 9. He might be just about ready at that point, though.
The Giants are still “TBD” for Sunday’s series finale, although Keaton Winn will either get that game or the one at Dodger Stadium on Monday. The belief at Petco Park on Friday was that either Saturday or Sunday’s game will be rained out, which could give the pitching staff a break.
Snell will throw in a minor league game in Scottsdale on Friday night. The earliest he could make his Giants debut is next Wednesday.