The Weekend Minor League Performance Giants Should Be Quietly Celebrating

One of the biggest questions in spring training by the San Francisco Giants was their bullpen. They answered that question on opening day with some unusual moves.

The Giants chose to option a few relievers that had Major League experience, two of which recorded saves last year as San Francisco worked through bullpen issues late last season due to the season-ending injury to Randy Rodriguez and the trade of Camilo Doval. One of those was optioned was Tristan Beck.

Whether it was a numbers game, a result of pitching for Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic or a wake-up call, Beck appears to have gotten the message. His performance in his only appearance last weekend for the River Cats should give the Giants something to think about the next time they need a reliever.

Tristan Beck’s Opening Weekend

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tristan Beck throws a baseball. — San Francisco Giants pitcher Tristan Beck. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Beck threw in one game but went two innings in the appearance. He was sharp. He didn’t allow a hit or a walk and struck out three. He threw just 19 pitches, 15 of which were strikes. Just as notable as the command was the weak contact. The three hitters that put the ball in play didn’t get the ball out of the infield, including a weak pop-up.

One of the few bright spots for the Giants as they were swept by the New York Yankees in their opening series was the bullpen. Nearly everyone who came out of the ’pen was effective. Unfortunately, the unit wasn’t handed a lead so there were no save situations to convert.

The right-hander has a limited amount of experience in that area. Since he made his MLB debut with the Giants in 2023, he’s converted four of the five save chances he’s been given. He also has seven holds in 71 career games. His career numbers are solid but not irreplaceable. He is 4-3 with a 3.94 ERA in those 71 games, with five starts. He has 123 strikeouts and 41 walks in 157.2 innings. Batters have hit .239 against him.

He showed where his value lies on Saturday — multiple innings. In an era where relievers must throw to at least three hitters in most cases, a reliever like Beck is an asset. He averages two innings per appearance. With most starters on limited pitch counts early, it made his option unexpected.

Beck was solid in spring training as he had a 3.68 ERA in six games and 7.1 innings. He also had two holds. His opponent batting average of .286 and his strikeout (four) to walk (three) spread likely led the Giants to send him to Sacramento to start the season. So far, it’s working.