SAN FRANCISCO -- The opener might be back in vogue for the Giants.
With their rotation depth thinned by the departure of left-hander Robbie Ray and right-hander Tyler Mahle at the Trade Deadline, the Giants are expected to get more creative with their pitching usage over the final two months of the regular season.
The unconventional route certainly proved effective in a 5-2 series-opening win over the Tigers on Friday night at Oracle Park.
San Francisco’s first opening assignment of the year went to right-handed reliever JT Brubaker, who gave up one run in the top of the first on a pair of singles and an RBI grounder by Dillon Dingler. Fellow righty Adrian Houser replaced Brubaker in the second and took on the bulk role, yielding one run over five innings to earn his first win since May 17.
The Giants signed Houser to a two-year, $22 million deal in December to fill out their starting rotation, but the 33-year-old veteran struggled mightily over the first three months of the year, logging a 5.73 ERA over his first 14 starts before being moved to the bullpen.
The switch to relief has yielded better results for Houser, who now has a 2.03 ERA over his last nine appearances.
Rafael Devers and Willy Adames both homered to back the Giants’ bullpenning efforts, while Jung Hoo Lee chipped in with a two-run single in the second inning.