The San Francisco Giants are betting huge on a southpaw unicorn, calling up 23-year old left-hander Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson to the big leagues. This isn’t just another rookie getting a shot, folks, we’re talking about a pitcher whose average fastball velocity is a shocking 89.9 mph, a metric that would place him in the 2nd percentile across MLB. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the move is happening now, even as the Giants find themselves functionally eliminated from postseason contention, leaning hard into their youth movement.
From Cleveland to the Show, With a AAA Bump in the Road
Wilkinson’s journey to the bigs has been a wild ride this year. The Giants acquired him back in May as part of the Patrick Bailey trade with the Cleveland Guardians, the very team he’ll now face on Tuesday in Ohio after the Giants’ off-day. Wilkinson absolutely dominated AA ball, first with Cleveland’s affiliate and then with the Giants’, flashing the stuff that made them big believers. But since hitting AAA with the Sacramento River Cats, it’s been a struggle. In 10 starts, he’s put up a 5.15 ERA and a 5.38 FIP, with just 43 strikeouts in 43.2 innings, plus 17 walks. Home runs have been his biggest nemesis, though the Coors Field-esque environment of the Pacific Coast League is probably not helping him out there. Calling up a guy who’s struggling in his first season above A-ball definitely feels odd, but the Giants must really believe in that “southpaw funk” to push him up. There’s even a whisper that this call-up might be driven by the Giants needing to roster him in November for Rule 5 Draft protection.
The Unicorn Profile and an Unclear Role
What makes Wilkinson such a “unicorn” in today’s game is that low-velocity fastball. He throws it a whopping 61.9% of the time, a stark contrast to nearly every other low-velo pitcher in the Majors. To be frank, this isn’t a profile any successful big-league pitcher has had in recent memory. But hey, there are always exceptions, and the Giants are clearly optimistic that their 2023 10th-round pick is one of them. It’s not clear whether “Tugboat” will debut as a starter or a reliever. He’s been exclusively a starter in the minors, but the Giants’ rotation looks pretty full right now. Logan Webb and Landen Roupp are established, and the team is giving extended looks to prospects Carson Whisenhunt and Blade Tidwell. Plus, Adrian Houser is pitching well and just had his best start of the year, so it seems like they’ll keep giving the veteran opportunities.
The Giants have an off-day today before heading to Ohio to face the Guardians on Tuesday. All eyes will be on Wilkinson, and whether his unique, low-velocity approach can translate to Major League success. This is a massive test for a guy who dares to be different.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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