SCOTTSDALE — Giants reliever Erik Miller would prefer not to know when he’s going to pitch. He used to get “starter’s anxiety” the night before his spot in the rotation came up, and one thing he has loved about life in the bullpen is the fact that he can be tapped on the shoulder at just about any time late in a game and asked to go throw 97 mph fastballs to a tough lefty.
But spring training innings are mapped out well in advance, and for Miller, that’s particularly important right now.
The left-hander had missed all of camp with lower back tightness, but he returned to game action on Friday and looked like, well, himself. Miller gave up a leadoff single but then struck out three straight Cincinnati Reds in the fourth inning.
Miller will get back out there Monday, and the Giants will try to keep him on a regular schedule in order to have him ready for the New York Yankees — Cody Bellinger, Jazz Chisholm and others — on March 25. After Friday’s spring debut, manager Tony Vitello said he sees no reason why Miller can’t be ready for the opener.
“In my opinion, he does (have time),” Vitello said. “I don’t think there was anything drastic going on. I’m a karma guy, I don’t want to say too much (but) he was in a position where he was able to keep (playing catch) so I think he’s in a good spot and I think he feels that way.”
While there are checkmarks for every reliever to hit in the spring, Miller on Friday looked like someone who is ready for regular-season games. His fastball was up to 97 mph and averaged 96.5, and he got two strikeouts on his slider.
“That’s about as good as I can ask for,” Miller said. “I threw strikes — that’s the main thing. Strikeouts are a benefit but for the most part I was throwing stuff where I wanted to. Yeah, it was good. Obviously, it’s been a long time since I’ve thrown in a big league game.”
Miller’s last appearance against big leaguers was July 2 of last season. He dealt with elbow discomfort throughout the second half and spent all of August and September rehabbing, but the elbow hasn’t been an issue this spring.
Miller said he usually has back problems a couple of times a year, but this spring, the discomfort returned after he thought he had turned a corner. That led to him being delayed until eight days before the Giants fly home, and they can’t afford any setbacks at this point with their top left-handed arm, and a pitcher who could end up throwing in the eighth and ninth quite often.
Miller figures he’ll need at least four or five appearances to get ready, but the early schedule could help. The Giants are off on two of the first five days of the season, giving Miller a bit more time to get fully up to speed.
More Moves
A day after making their first round of spring cuts, the Giants sent relievers Juan Sanchez and Wilkin Ramos to minor league camp. The 25-year-olds are both likely to begin the season with Triple-A Sacramento.
Sanchez briefly seemed to be in the mix for the Opening Day roster before Miller returned and Joey Lucchesi signed. The lefty had a good spring, allowing just two hits in six scoreless appearances. He walked five and struck out seven, and Vitello was impressed.
“I just think he’s got all the things you want out of a guy intangible-wise,” he said last week. “He just needs to be as good as he can be physically, because when he’s at his best it’s pretty good. The deception piece is there and the stuff is good enough.”
Noteworthy
The misters were on at Scottsdale Stadium for most of Friday’s game and it’s only going to get hotter in the coming days. It’s supposed to be over 100 degrees for the final four days of camp, so some teams in the Cactus League are considering moving some 1 p.m. games to the evening next week.
The Giants entered the day with a .296 average as a team this spring, but Rafael Devers is still trying to find his timing after missing time with hamstring tightness. Devers was 0-for-3 on Friday and is hitless in 18 at-bats this spring. Willy Adames is just 4-for-31.
While there are zero concerns with those stars, Jerar Encarnacion looked like he was slumping his way off the roster about a week ago. He has found his swing, though. Encarnacion tied Thursday night’s game with a sac fly in the ninth and went 2-for-4 on Friday with a scorched RBI double.
The Giants could use his right-handed pop off the bench, and there’s a chance he starts the season as the DH if he makes the initial roster and Bryce Eldridge does not. Vitello was especially pleased with Encarnacion’s defense and baserunning lately, noting how hard he is going.
“Jerar is an inspiration right now with the way he’s playing,” Vitello said.