SAN FRANCISCO — Giants left-hander Alex Wood won’t throw another pitch this season.
After landing on the injured list at the start of this month with a shoulder impingement, Wood, 31, was never cleared to resume throwing. With less than three weeks left in the regular season after Sunday’s series finale against the Dodgers, Wood and the Giants decided to pull the plug.
“We’re just in a place where it’s probably not in the cards,” manager Gabe Kapler said, “He hasn’t been cleared yet to resume throwing, so we’re going to shut him down for the rest of the season.”
Wood, who declined reporters’ interview requests before Sunday’s game, had hoped to resume throwing this weekend, but he was never medically cleared. His last start came Aug. 31, allowing four runs over 4⅔ innings in a loss to Pittsburgh, before being placed on the injured list on Sept. 3.
With 16 games left this season and the Giants out of contention, there was no longer the time nor the necessity for Wood to return this season. Under contract for $12.5 million next season, Wood is one of five starting pitchers due back next season.
After entering last offseason with four open rotation spots behind Logan Webb, only one of the six starters to spend time in the Giants’ rotation this season — Carlos Rodón, who can opt out of his deal — isn’t expected to return.
“All of the pieces are in place for Alex to have an excellent season in ‘23,” Kapler said. “The same characteristics that made him good for us last year and in stretches this year are still very much in place. He’s gonna be a core piece of our rotation next year.”
Wood can now shift his focus to 2023, though first he will be occupied with familial duties. His wife, Suzanna, is expected to give birth to their first child any day now.
Wood will finish the year with a 5.10 ERA in 26 starts, but that number was inflated by his final three outings, which he said were affected by the shoulder impingement. Through his first 23 starts, Wood was 8-9 with a 4.18 ERA, but he lost his final three starts while allowing 19 earned runs in 12⅓ innings, a 13.86 ERA.
Wood’s final ERA also belies a much lower 3.76 mark in FIP, or fielding-independent pitching.
“I thought Alex pitched very well in stretches and I thought there were some moments of challenges, like all pitchers have,” Kapler said. “I think we could’ve done a better job defending behind him, which would’ve changed a lot of the core elements of his season.”
Notable
- Outfielder Austin Slater (hand) took batting practice off a high-velocity pitching machine Sunday, which he said went well. Slater, who had the brace on his left hand removed Thursday, is trending to be activated this week during the Giants’ series at Colorado. Sunday will mark the 14th game he has missed after dislocating his left pinky finger on a headfirst slide into second base.
- Kapler didn’t rule out the possibility of infielder Tommy La Stella (neck spasms) playing again this season.
- The churn at the bottom of the Giants’ 40-man roster continued, as the team claimed right-hander Jharel Cotton off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. Cotton, 30, has a 2.83 ERA in 23 major-league relief appearances this season and could be an option to eat innings on the upcoming road trip, Kapler said. In a corresponding move, the Giants designated for assignment Willie Calhoun, the player they received in return for Steven Duggar. Infielder Jose Rojas, whom the Giants claimed earlier this month, cleared waivers but elected to become a free agent.
