Harrison’s season ends with IL stint but Giants encouraged for 2025

Harrison’s season ends with IL stint but Giants encouraged for 2025 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN DIEGO — Kyle Harrison always knew a September shutdown was possible, but it came a couple of weeks earlier than he anticipated.

The Giants put the rookie left-hander on the IL on Friday with left shoulder inflammation, and while they haven’t officially ruled out a return, the odds of that are about the same as their chances of reaching the postseason.

Harrison had an MRI that showed nothing but mild inflammation, but the Giants won’t take any chances with a young pitcher who was the best left-handed prospect in baseball coming into the year. It’s on to 2025.

Manager Bob Melvin said the inflammation bothered Harrison “off and on” during the season. It cropped up after he sprained his right ankle, which led to a slight change in mechanics and more pressure on his left arm. Harrison had been pushing through it, but there’s no need given the team’s situation.

“I think after the last outing, the next day it was bothering him enough,” Melvin said. “He tries to push through things — he’s a pretty tough kid — but after the last start we sat down with him and he admitted it was probably bothering him a bit more the last time, so therefore the IL.”

Harrison lasted just 2 2/3 innings on Tuesday and allowed six earned runs. His velocity was down, a theme at multiple points of the second half. Overall, his fastball dipped from 93.6 mph to 92.5 year over year.

Harrison will finish his first full season with a 4.56 ERA and 4.35 FIP, but the Giants see plenty of reasons to be encouraged. His walk rate is down significantly from his time in the minors, and while his fastball velocity has dropped, the characteristics of the pitch still made it well above-average overall.

Aside from the fluke ankle injury, he was a fixture in the rotation as a 22-year-old, throwing 124 1/3 innings. The Giants hoped to get him in the 140-inning range to prepare him for next season, and they came close.

“Look, there are times he has performed really well and other times he has been hit around, but he hasn’t shied away from anything,” Melvin said. “We skipped him the one start but I thought all in all it’s a successful season for him. You learn how to deal with it, pitching every fifth day, and I think he’ll be better for it next year.”

The Giants called up right-hander Austin Warren to take the roster spot, but they’re TBA for Sunday’s finale at Petco Park. Mason Black, the next man up in Triple-A, already is in the rotation because of the Robbie Ray injury.

Another One Done

The team’s medical report didn’t have Tom Murphy on it Friday, although that seems to just be because there has been nothing new to report for months. Melvin acknowledged the obvious: Murphy’s season ended because of a knee injury sustained May 4 in Philadelphia.

“It’s been a long road for him,” Melvin said. “He’s doing all the baseball activity but it’s when he gets down in the crouch and catching that he’s not 100 percent comfortable yet. We’ve got three weeks left — it might be time.”

Murphy signed a two-year, $8.25 million deal in the offseason but played just 13 games. Still, there’s a good chance he enters camp as Patrick Bailey’s backup. Curt Casali will be a free agent and 36 years old, and the staff views Blake Sabol as more of a utility player.

There Was Good News, Though

Robbie Ray (left hamstring strain) and Jordan Hicks (right shoulder inflammation) will throw bullpen sessions on Saturday at Oracle Park. Both have a shot at returning this season, and the Giants have been optimistic that they will.

Randy Rodriguez (right shoulder inflammation) is getting into a throwing progression, but it’s unlikely he returns. The Giants are running out of time, and just like with Harrison, there’s no reason for the young pitcher to rush through rehab.

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