The Quiet Roster Decision That Could Shape Giants’ First Month

The San Francisco Giants have a decision to make in their bullpen that could have a significant impact on the first month of their season.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Erik Miller. | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Of all the decisions that the San Francisco Giants must make in spring training, how they configure their bullpen will be the most important.

The Giants are essentially set when it comes to an opening day lineup. Same goes for their starting rotation, as Landen Roupp has made it nearly impossible for anyone to usurp him as the fifth starter. But the bullpen is coming along slower than San Francisco would like. Injuries have decimated some options and at least two spots remain up for grabs.

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But one decision has a certain amount of gravity on the opening day roster and the first month of the season. That decision is whether left-handed reliever Erik Miller is ready for opening day.

A Quiet Decision with Big Ramifications

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Miller has spent the spring building up slowly after he suffered an elbow sprain last season. He pitched in the Giants’ spring training game on Friday, which was his first action in Scottsdale, Ariz. San Francisco and Miller are both hopeful that he can be in the bullpen and opening day.

Before his, Miller was throwing well. He was 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA in 36 games, with 10 holds. He struck out 22 and walked 20 in 30 innings as he allowed batters to hit .238 against him.

Miller's ability to be ready for opening day is significant for the Giants. Thanks to a heavy dose of injuries, the only left-hander on the 40-man roster that has logged significant innings in spring training is Matt Gage. It’s left San Francisco with a heavy tilt toward right-handed pitching. Gage is a solid reliever, but he can’t take every lefty-on-lefty matchup early in the regular season.

If Miller is ready, that gives San Francisco two left-handed options. If he isn't ready when the Giants host the Philadelphia Phillies on March 25, he’ll head to the 15-day injured list. That decision would not only remove Miller from the mix until early April, but San Francisco would need a left-handed reliever to take those innings.

The Giants may have that option in veteran Joey Lucchesi, who signed a minor league deal earlier this week. But adding him to the roster could have significant ramifications on other players. Because he's not on the Major League roster, San Francisco would have to clear a 40-man roster space to make him available on opening day.

There are two ways to do that. San Francisco could move a player to the 60-day injured list, or it could designate a player for assignment, thus exposing him to waivers.

If Miller isn't available, it could have a significant impact on several members of the roster, not to mention the Giants’ ability to handle lefty-on-lefty matchups for the first two weeks of the season. It will be a quiet decision with big ramifications.