SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Landen Roupp will start the San Francisco Giants’ starting pitcher for their Cactus League opener on Saturday against Bruce Bochy’s Texas Rangers, manager Bob Melvin announced on Thursday morning.
Roupp will likely throw two innings, depending on his pitch count. Melvin did not reveal which other pitchers or position players would make the hour-long drive to Surprise, but the roster will likely feature a healthy amount of younger players and prospects — a list that could include top prospect Bryce Eldridge.
The 26-year-old right-hander is one of many pitchers in camp currently competing for the fifth spot in San Francisco’s rotation. The competition is currently headlined by 23-year-olds Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong — the former owning the edge over the latter — but the list of candidates in camp with major-league experience includes Roupp, Keaton Winn, Mason Black and Trevor McDonald.
Roupp pitched 23 games for the Giants last season after surprisingly cracking the Opening Day roster, making 19 relief appearances to four starts. Melvin said the team will build Roupp up as a starter for the time being.
Despite oscillating between Triple-A Sacramento and San Francisco, Roupp posted a 3.58 ERA and 3.42 FIP (fielding independent pitching) with 47 strikeouts over 50 1/3 innings. Roupp fared better as a reliever (3.41 ERA, 31 2/3 innings) than as a starter (3.86 ERA, 18 2/3 innings), the caveat being that four games is a sample size.
“You can always build guys up as starters and put guys into the bullpen depending on need,” Melvin said, “but you always want to have your options open during camp if somebody gets hurt — whatever it is. But there were times last year (where he) was really good at times in the bullpen, and then we put him in the rotation the last few starts. It’s pretty exciting to think about.”
Roupp maintains his two-seam fastball, curveball, slider and changeup but will be adding a cutter as well. Roupp began working on the pitch during the offseason while at home in North Carolina but couldn’t find a grip that felt comfortable. Once Roupp got to Arizona around January, Roupp began working with pitching coach J.P. Martinez and bullpen coach Garvin Alston were able to settle on a grip that worked for him.
“It’s moving the way I wanted it to move,” Roupp said. “I just have to get it in the zone.”
Roupp also plans to re-incorporate a four-seam fastball, a pitch that he had last year but “wasn’t really confident in.” Last season, Roupp heavily relied on his curveball (44.2%) and sinker (40.5%) but almost never threw his four-seam fastball (1.6%). On the few instances that Roupp did throw his fastball, almost all of his misses were well above the zone. For Roupp, the key to his four-seam fastball is confidence.
“The shape was fine; it was just location,” Roupp said. “Getting it at the top rail, up-and-in to lefties, up-and-in to righties.”
Fitzgerald progressing, Murphy still in flux
Second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald (lower back) will resume baseball activities on Thursday after being limited the last few days, but catcher Tom Murphy (oblique) is currently unable to do any physical activity.
“He didn’t have a great night last night,” Melvin said.
With Murphy unlikely to play in the first week of Cactus League games, the Giants will get more looks at Sam Huff, who the team claimed off waivers from the Texas Rangers.
Huff, 27, is one of three catchers on the 40-man roster along with Murphy and Patrick Bailey. Over 78 career major-league games, Huff owns a .258 batting average and .768 OPS with 10 home runs and 20 RBIs. Huff only played three games with the Rangers last season, spending almost all of the year with the team’s Triple-A affiliate.
Max Stassi, 33, is also in camp as a non-roster invitee. Stassi has played in parts of 10 major-league seasons, his last appearance in the majors being in 2022 with the Los Angeles Angels.