Giants shortstop Willy Adames stands on first base after being hit by a pitch thrown by Reds pitcher Connor Phillips during the eighth inning Thursday in Cincinnati.
Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press
Giants shortstop Willy Adames is hit by a pitch thrown by the Reds’ Connor Phillips on Thursday in Cincinnati.
Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press
WASHINGTON — When Buster Posey and Tony Vitello have talked about the San Francisco Giants showing some edge, they maybe didn’t mean the entire traveling group, but that’s what they got Thursday in the finale against the Reds.
Clubhouse attendant Riley Halpin, serving as the Giants’ batboy when Willy Adames got plunked in the eighth inning, quickly popped over to get Adames’ bat — and walked with Adames to first, clearly positioning himself between Adames and pitcher Connor Phillips.
Halpin also glared at Phillips en route, earning him all sorts of attention on social media and the appreciation of the Giants’ clubhouse.
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“I said to him, ‘Yo, you’re like everywhere on the internet right now, all my friends, they keep sending me the video,’” Adames said. “And it’s just funny to me, because we hang out every day, and for me at the moment too, because when Riley was there, the umpire told him, ‘Hey, batboy, get out of here,’ and Riley was there trying to have my back. That was hilarious.”
Halpin said he got some hugs and fist bumps from players, but he didn’t actually realize he looked as if he was giving Phillips the evil eye.
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“I was just doing what I’m supposed to do, which is grab the bat and the shin guards and stuff,” Halpin said. “I didn’t really realize it at the moment that I kind of stared him down and did the head shake, but obviously there were some tensions in that game and Willy’s one of those guys I would go to bat for any day; I was just kind of upset for him. But it was pretty funny.”
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Clubhouse manager Brad Grems was busy watching the rest of the developments on the field as the benches partially emptied, so he didn’t see Halpin escorting Adames safely to first until someone sent him the video.
“That was a proud moment for me,” Grems said. “Riley wasn’t trying to show anyone up, and he never would, he was just doing his job — and everyone with this team, from top to bottom, should have each other’s back.”
Giants clubhouse attendant Riley Halpin, shown fulfilling his usual duties last year, served as a batboy Thursday in Cincinnati and kept an eye on Reds pitcher Connor Phillips while accompanying Willy Adames to first base after Adames was hit by a pitch.
Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press
Adames knew it was coming — Landen Roupp had nailed Spencer Steer earlier in the game — and Adames was mostly piqued because it took two tries for Phillips to hit him.
“In baseball, if you miss the first chance, that’s it,” Adames said. “That’s why I was (looking slightly annoyed) and then why I was just laughing.”
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Catching, continued: As Vitello suggested the previous day, Daniel Susac was behind the plate Friday for the first game against the Nationals after Patrick Bailey caught Thursday; Susac has been hitting up a storm (.563 entering Friday) while Bailey is hitting .128, and with the Giants needing offense, this is the breakdown — at least for now.
“Patty’s still a Gold Glove guy. He’s our guy,” Vitello said. “Nothing controversial to anything. We’ve stood by him, played him a bunch. Right now, he’s not playing as well as he’s capable of playing, that’ll work itself out over time. And the other guy’s obviously swinging a hot bat right now and also gives you a really good at-bat.
“It’s a good, complementary (arrangement). Who plays the most? They’ll decide that by the end of the year. But as far as this game in particular, after we landed last night and took all things into consideration, we’re going with Susac.”
Oliva surgery: Outfielder Jared Oliva, placed on the injured list on Wednesday with a broken left hamate bone, had successful surgery in Los Angeles on Thursday, with Dr. Steven Shin, a noted hand expert, performing the procedure.
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Oliva is expected to return in 4-6 weeks. The injury is common among hitters; Pablo Sandoval is among the many who had similar procedure, along with Francisco Lindor, Mookie Betts, Giancarlo Stanton and Ken Griffey Jr., with no drop-off in performance.