Another brutal hit to an already reeling San Francisco Giants bullpen, because right-handed reliever Keaton Winn just landed on the 15-Day Injured List, retroactive to Wednesday. The diagnosis? Right elbow neuritis. This isn’t just his first trip to the IL this season either. Winn, despite recent struggles, was genuinely one of the few bright spots, a true glimmer of hope in what’s been called one of the sport’s absolute worst bullpens. This is a serious blow to an already struggling unit.
Winn’s Decline and the Over-Usage Question
Let’s break down what we lost. Winn had actually been pretty solid across 44 appearances this year, posting a 3.35 ERA and a 3.85 FIP. In a bullpen as bad as theirs, those numbers were a godsend. But you could see the cracks forming. He only managed to strike out 33 batters in 43 innings, and there’s been a noticeable downturn in his performance. Before his last two tough outings, he was sitting even better: a 2.88 ERA and a 3.50 FIP. The source points directly to “over-usage” earlier in the year as the culprit for his first IL stint, and it feels like that pushing is now taking its toll again. His elbow is screaming for a break. The strangest part? He last pitched on the 16th, but the IL placement is retroactive to the 19th. What happened in those few days remains a total mystery, leaving everyone guessing.
The Risky Replacement: Sanmartin Returns
So, who’s the unlucky soul stepping up to fill this gaping hole? It’s lefty reliever Reiver Sanmartin. Honestly, this is where it gets really concerning. Sanmartin, a five-year veteran, was literally just optioned one day ago when Matt Wilkinson got the call-up. You have to assume the Giants kept him on the taxi squad in Cleveland, fully expecting something like this could go down. But let’s be brutally honest about his numbers: a 7.45 ERA and a 5.98 FIP across just 10 outings this season. That’s a tough stat line to feel confident about when you’re trying to shore up a unit already described as one of the league’s absolute worst. Winn was a genuine bright spot, even faltering. Now, the Giants are forced to rely on a pitcher whose own performance has been far from stellar. It just shows how truly thin their options are, and how desperate the situation has become for their relief arms.
This whole situation isn’t just about replacing one pitcher; it’s a glaring red flag over the entire San Francisco Giants bullpen. They’ve lost one of their most effective, if not only, consistent arms, even if he was showing signs of fatigue. And the replacement? A guy just demoted, whose stats don’t inspire confidence. This move puts immense pressure on every single reliever left. How much more can an “already struggling bullpen” endure before it completely collapses? Every game from here on out is a test of sheer will for this relief corps to stay afloat. With Keaton Winn sidelined yet again, navigating the rest of the season just became exponentially harder for the Giants. You have to wonder what other options they even have left in the tank.
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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