SAN FRANCISCO — Bruce Bochy had an odd look on his face as he sat in front of reporters on June 19. He looked distracted as he answered the first question of his pre-game media session, and he started to go in a different direction before a reporter piped up with a second question. After he answered that one, Bochy looked up and said, “I need to tell you guys something.”
The manager then revealed that Hunter Strickland, his closer, was seeing a doctor. The story spiraled from there. Bochy explained how Strickland had been so upset after blowing a save the night before that he punched a door, breaking his right hand. It was a bit of a surreal moment, and for Strickland, who has had a bit of a surreal run with the Giants, it overshadowed everything else he did in 2018.
In the latest installment of this series looking at the 2018 Giants, we zero in on a right-hander who looked headed for his best season with the Giants, but now has an uncertain future.
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What Went Right: Strickland was a pretty easy choice to take over for the injured Mark Melancon, but because of his past — the postseason homers, the Sal Perez incident, the Bryce Harper fight — he was always going to have little margin for error. The Giants believed he could handle the role, and Strickland does have a short memory and the type of bulldog persona you want with the game on the line. For more than two months, he was excelling in the new role.
Through June 17, Strickland had a 2.01 ERA in 33 appearances, holding opponents to a .200 average. In a bullpen full of pitchers facing restrictions, he was durable and capable of taking the ball three games in a row or six times in eight days, as he did at the end of April, when he went three in a row, took two days off, and then pitched in three straight against the Dodgers. Strickland had five saves during that eight-day stretch.
What Went Wrong: On June 18, Strickland gave up three runs in a third of an inning, blowing a save opportunity in a loss to the Marlins. His ERA jumped to 2.84, but still, he would have remained the closer. On the way back to the clubhouse, however, he punched a door, suffering a metacarpal fracture that would be surgically repaired. Strickland was expected to miss six to eight weeks, but the Giants put him on the 60-day DL, seemingly in part as punishment for his decision.
Will Smith was locked in as the closer when Strickland returned, and the right-hander wasn’t anywhere close to being the same pitcher. Strickland had a 6.59 ERA in August and September and was basically removed from Bochy’s late-innings rotation, even as the manager tried to rest some pitchers down the stretch. Opposing hitters batted .309 against Strickland once he came back from the DL.
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Strickland’s fastball dipped to concerning levels once he came back. He averaged 96-97 in outings before getting hurt, but his fastball was at 93.6 mph in August and 94.8 in September. Perhaps he needed more time to let his hand heal, but even in late September, Strickland was often in the 93-95 range.
Contract Status: Strickland is entering his second year of arbitration and is projected to make $2.5 million, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
The Future: This will be one of several decisions that may be completely up to a new president of baseball operations. Strickland’s work ethic has never been in doubt, so you figure his velocity will return after an offseason of strengthening his hand, and he should get back to being an effective reliever. Despite the occasional regrettable moment, he has been one of the Giants best relievers since breaking into the big leagues in 2014. But the Giants may decide it’s time for a change of scenery and seek a trade partner for a pitcher they put on the block last winter. Or they may decide that even $2.5 million is too much to pay when they already have Smith, Mark Melancon, Tony Watson and likely Sam Dyson in the final two innings, with Reyes Moronta ready for a meatier role. There’s a wild card in this, too; if the Giants somehow land Bryce Harper, they will feel the need to make a move here. Strickland’s offseason could go in a number of different directions.