The San Francisco Giants have lost ground in the MLB playoff race, prompting a series of moves to try and turn things around. Now, heading into a crucial week of the MLB schedule, San Francisco is reportedly preparing to call up Kyle Harrison to make his MLB debut.
Harrison is a 6-foot-2 starting pitcher that San Francisco drafted with the 85th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Chosen out of De La Salle High School, the Giants signed Harrison to an over-slot contract ($2.497 million signing bonus) and he’s quickly become one of the top pitching prospects in MLB.
- Kyle Harrison stats (2023): 4.66 ERA,1.52 WHIP, 105/48 K/BB ratio in 65.2 innings pitched
Beginning the 2021 season at the High-A level, Harrison dominated with a 1.55 ERA and a 50 percent strikeout rate in his first 29 innings pitched. It prompted San Francisco to promote him to Double-A, where he compiled a 3.11 ERA with a .198 batting average allowed and a 36.4 percent strikeout rate in 84 innings.
Harrison kept climbing the ladder in the minor leagues, spending the ongoing season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate. While he has struggled at times with the Sacramento River Cats, San Francisco has reportedly seen enough to believe he’s ready for his MLB debut.
According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, the Giants are strongly considering calling Harrison up to debut this week. The belief is the 6-foot-2 southpaw could make his debut as a starter early this week against the Philadelphia Phillies.
While Harrison’s 4.66 ERA and 1.52 WHIP might suggest he isn’t ready for the major leagues, San Francisco likes some of his other numbers. In his last 10 starts Harrison has struck out 32.2 percent of batters faced and begun to lower his walk rate.
He’s been even better as of late, holding opponents to a .222 batting average with a 1.29 WHIP and a 3.86 ERA in his last three starts for Triple-A Sacramento. However, Harrison hasn’t thrown more than four innings or faced 20 batters in a game in the last two months.
San Francisco is feeling the pressure as it starts to slip down the MLB standings and Harrison won’t help address a lineup that has scored the fewest runs in baseball since July 1. But the Giants know this is a critical portion of their schedule and if their woes continue in August, the playoff hunt will be over in early September.