SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Giants placed Kyle Harrison on the 15-day injured list on Sunday after the left-handed starter sprained his right ankle while figuring out within the team's weight room the day before, in line with manager Bob Melvin.
Harrison was scheduled to start out Sunday, but left-hander Erik Miller will start as an alternative for San Francisco's final series against the Los Angeles Angels. The Giants want to salvage the ultimate game of a three-game series before starting a six-game road trip against the Chicago Cubs on Monday.
Melvid said Harrison sprained his ankle Saturday while going through his normal workout in preparation for his fifteenth start of the season. The injury was so severe, Melvin said, that a stay on the injured list was unavoidable.
Sunday's transaction was retroactive to Thursday. Also on Sunday, the Giants chosen Spencer Bivens from Triple-A Sacramento and released fellow right-hander Nick Avila.
“I'm not sure when Harrison might return,” Melvin said, “but it's obviously not ideal.”
The Giants are already without starters Blake Snell (left groin strain), Alex Cobb (left hip surgery) and Robbie Ray (Tommy John surgery). Snell, who threw a bullpen session and a simulated inning on Saturday, could return later this month, while Cobb and Ray usually are not expected back until the second half of the season.
Harrison was coming off one in every of his stronger starts of 2024, throwing just 77 pitches in 6 1/3 innings against the Houston Astros on Monday, allowing just 4 hits and one earned run within the Giants' 4-3 win.
In 14 starts this season, Harrison, in his second major league season, has thrown a complete of 77 1/3 innings, making him the Giants' second-best pitcher behind Logan Webb (92 1/3 innings). The San Jose native and De La Salle High School graduate has a record of 4-3 this yr with a 3.96 ERA.
“It's a blow,” Melvin said. “They always say you can never have too many starting pitchers, and now we know why. Some are coming back, but it's probably going to be a while.”
“Kyle has been really consistent for us. In the meantime, we're trying to find another way. You'll probably see a little more bullpen, especially today.”
Miller's start on Sunday can be his fifth of the season. This yr, he has a 1-2 record and a 3.69 ERA in 31 2/3 innings in 33 games. The Stanford product's last appearance was Friday, when he threw a scoreless inning within the Giants' 8-6 loss to the Angels.
Harrison's last win as a starter was on May 18. In his last 4 starts, Harrison was 0-2 with a 4.84 ERA, although he had just three walks and 19 strikeouts during that point.
The Giants are 2-3 at home and enter Sunday's contest one game back of the third and final wild-card spot within the National League, despite being separated by nine teams inside 2 1/2 games.
“He's definitely disappointed,” Melvin said of Harrison. “Sometimes these things just happen. It can happen anywhere. But when you're working like that and preparing for a start, it's very disappointing.”
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