Caleb Kilian gives up four runs to blow save

Miller replaced Keaton Winn in a tie game in the eighth and remained in after the Giants scored twice in the bottom of the inning, as Caleb Kilian was left in the pen after blowing his last save chance on Friday. Miller gave up a leadoff single, but he retired three in a row afterwards, winning an 11-pitch battle with Cole Carrigg to end the game. Miller could be a possibility to pick up some saves after the break. He could also be a candidate to be traded if the Giants decide to sell, but since he’s not going to be a free agent until after 2029, the team would demand a significant return.

Single, walk, bunt single, single. That was enough to doom Kilian tonight. In total, the three hits had a combined xBA of .970. Mickey Moniak grounded through the right side of the infield to start the frame. After a walk, Jake McCarthy went to sacrifice the runners, but he wound up with a hit because Casey Schmitt was playing rather far back at third for some reason; McCarthy had already showed bunt twice in the at-bat. After that, Kyle Karros hit a ball up the middle at just 69 mph, but that was still hard enough to elude a drawn-in infield and plate two runs. Combined with his four-run outing in a loss to the A’s on June 25, this makes two really ugly lines for Kilian in the last few weeks. Still, in neither blown save was he hit very hard at all. He’ll likely remain the Giants’ closer for now, but the team does have a potential alternative with Keaton Winn back from the IL. Winn retired two of the three batters he faced tonight.

Kilian was summoned to close out the game in Coors with a three-run lead. He gave up one run on a pair of hits and struck out two batters to hold on for his eighth save of the season, to go with a 4.14 ERA across 37 innings.

He struck out Adrian Del Castillo and Nolan Arenado before getting Pavin Smith to ground out tonight. Kilian improved to 3-for-4 in save chances since officially being named the Giants’ closer and 7-for-9 overall on the season.

Pitching with a two-run lead, Kilian gave up a leadoff double to Matt Olson, who came around to score on consecutive groundouts. Dominic Smith then singled and Jorge Mateo swiped second as a pinch-runner, but Kilian struck out Mike Yastrzemski to end it. Kilian was making his first appearance since a rather unlucky four-run blown save against the A’s on Thursday. He’s the Giants’ closer, but he’s not especially secure in the role.

Kilian was summoned to close out the game against the A’s with a two-run lead in the ninth inning. He worked around a hit and a walk, striking out one batter to secure the win and convert his fifth save. The 29-year-old right-hander is considered the Giants’ primary closer, working a 2.97 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and a 39/16 K/BB ratio across 33 1/3 innings.

The Giants wanted Dylan Smith to finish the game, but they made the quick pivot to their closer after two batters reached in a five-run game. This might take Kilian out of the mix for the regularly scheduled game. He threw just eight pitches, but given his injury history, throwing him twice in one day doesn’t seem like a good idea. Ryan Walker might close if the Giants have a late lead tonight.

It wasn’t a save chance, but Kilian, now designated the Giants’ closer, turned in his seventh straight scoreless appearance since giving up five runs in a blown save and a loss to the Rockies on May 29. His ERA is back down to 3.13.

Vitello told reporters that Kilian will serve as their closer with Ryan Walker occupying a fireman role in the late innings following his return from a brief minor-league demotion where he made several mechanical adjustments. Kilian has converted four of five save opportunities this season. He’s at least worthy of a speculative roster spot in deeper mixed leagues where every save matters.

This is a big failure for Winn, who was trying for his second save of the year and instead saw his ERA jump from 2.40 to 3.23. Give the advantage back to Caleb Kilian in the San Francisco pen.