Giants Facing Questions About Pitching Rotation For Phillies Series

The San Francisco Giants may need to be flexible when it comes to their starting pitching for their next couple of games.

Apr 19, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Blake Snell (7) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Blake Snell is supposed to start for the San Francisco Giants on Monday when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday afternoon.

But they may face a decision if Snell’s girlfriend delivers their child before the game.

Snell went on the paternity list on Thursday and then activated him on Sunday so he could make his next scheduled start. But, according to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle, the Giants may have to get creative with their rotation if Haeley Mar, Snell’s girlfriend, goes into labor on Monday.

The Giants played a day game at the New York Mets on Sunday and then fly back to San Francisco for a day game to open a three-game set with the Phillies.

When Snell originally went on the paternity list, the timing was perfect, from a baseball standpoint. It came in between his return from the injured list on Wednesday and his next scheduled start.

But the baby is now six days overdue and the Giants activated Snell on Sunday, as his 72 hours on the paternity list ran out. Snell did throw his usual bullpen on Saturday, so he’s ready to pitch.

That is, unless Mar goes into labor.

“I don’t know what the next step is,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said.

The Chronicle noted that the only available pitcher on the Giants’ 40-man roster is Kai-Wei Teng, who is at Triple-A Sacramento. The Giants optioned pitcher Mason Black recently, so they can’t bring him back for two weeks unless there is an injury.

Moving Snell back to the paternity list doesn’t mean the Giants could bring Black back up to pitch. It’s also not a given — the Giants would have to petition MLB to get Snell back on the paternity list.

Oh, and the Giants don’t know who their starter for Tuesday will be, and whether Snell pitches on Monday or not will significantly influence that.