Giants Closer To Getting Pair of Pitchers Back From Injury

The San Francisco Giants are watching the progress of two right-handed pitchers who are in various stages of their injury rehab.

Feb 24, 2024; Scottsdale, Arizona, USA; San Francisco pitcher Sean Hjelle (64) on the mound in the | Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants would love nothing more than to get back a pair of relievers that could help their bullpen as they hit the road this weekend to face Tampa Bay.

Right-handed pitchers Luke Jackson and Sean Hjelle are working their way back from injuries, which leaves Hjelle closer to being ready for a decision, per MLB.com.

Hjelle pitched his first rehab game on Wednesday, a scoreless inning of relief with Triple-A Sacramento. He is slated to go again on Friday. It’s not clear if that’s the final rehab step he needs before activation.

Hjelle has been out since late Februay with a mild right elbow sprain. An MRI revealed almost no damage but the Giants have taken it slow with him and put him on the 15-day injured list when the season started.

Hjelle has made 22 relief appearances for the Giants since his debut in 2022. He is 3-3 with a 6.17 ERA in 23 games.

As for Jackson, he hasn’t made a rehab start yet but he’s closer after he threw a 30-pitch bullpen session at the Giants’ team facility in Scottsdale, Ariz. Jackson actually got to pitch in the Giants’ opener, but he went on the 15-day injured list shortly after an MRI showed he had a lower back strain.

The long-time Major Leaguer has a career 4.19 ERA with an 18-9 record. He is entering his second season with the Giants.

A third pitcher, Alex Cobb, is unavailable until May due to offseason hip surgery. The Giants placed him on the 15-day injured list at the start of the regular season. The starter is now throwing from 100 feet and the Giants expect him to start throwing off a mound next week.

Cobb is entering his third season with the Giants. He went 7-7 with a 3.87 ERA last year. For his career he is 77-76 with a 3.85 ERA. He has also played for the Los Angeles Angels, the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays.