The competition for the final spots in the San Francisco Giants’ bullpen came into clearer focus Monday with the latest round of cuts.
Seven pitchers, including lefty Erik Miller, were among the 11 players either optioned or reassigned to minor-league camp. The moves bring the total number of players in major-league camp down to 55.
Miller, 26, was described by manager Bob Melvin early in camp as “front and center” in the competition to join Taylor Rogers as the second southpaw in the bullpen but allowed two home runs in three appearances this spring.
Melvin has expressed a preference to carry at least one more lefty in his bullpen, and by optioning Miller, that leaves 27-year-old Ethan Small, acquired from Milwaukee for cash last month, as the only remaining left-handed relief option on the 40-man roster.
Amir Garrett, 31, and Juan Sanchez, 23, are two other left-handed options who remain in camp as non-roster invitees.
As the Giants look for length out of their bullpen early in the season, Melvin mentioned Carson Seymour as a starting pitching prospect would could get an opportunity in relief, but the 25-year-old acquired in the trade for Darin Ruf was reassigned to minor-league camp.
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Kai-Wei Teng, Randy Rodriguez, Trevor McDonald, Hayden Birdsong and Jose Cruz rounded out the cuts from the pitching side.
Teng, 25, would have factored into the mix for the final rotation spot but was slowed by an oblique injury to begin camp and will only pitch in his first game Wednesday, which now will come on the minor-league fields at Papago Park.
One player whose camp started with a bang was Heliot Ramos, who took Jordan Hicks deep on the first pitch he threw in live batting practice. But that hasn’t translated to game results, batting .125 with five strikeouts in 16 at-bats this spring, and the former first-round pick was among the first cuts from a crowded outfield.
Non-roster outfielder Yusniel Díaz was also reassigned, and utilitymen Cooper Hummel and Brett Wisely were optioned to the minors.