SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jordan Hicks bulked up over the winter in hopes of maintaining his strength – and velocity – as he enters his second season as a mainstay in the Giants’ rotation.
Hicks came out firing in his Cactus League debut Wednesday, reaching triple digits multiple times in a 35-pitch outing in the Giants’ 4-4 tie against the Chicago Cubs at Scottsdale Stadium.
“This feels like home,” Hicks said. “I’m still earning a spot every day but I feel like I’m part of the rotation and… just want to go out there and have fun.”
Before joining the Giants last season as a free agent, the 28-year-old Hicks had pitched almost exclusively as a reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Hicks uses a sinker as his primary pitch. In 2023, as a reliever, he averaged 100.1 mph on that pitch. In 2024, the sinker dropped to an average of 94.5 mph across a career-high 109.2 innings.
From March through April, Hicks started 12 games, totaling 63.1 innings with a 2.70 ERA and 52 strikeouts to 19 walks. Over his final 46.1 innings, he had a 6.02 ERA with 44 strikeouts to 28 walks across eight starts and nine relief appearances.
“For a month and a half, he was really good. And then, got a little worn down,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said before the game. “Just the experiences last year, I think he has a better understanding of what he has to go through this year.”
Hicks also arrived in camp about 15 pounds heavier, most of the weight in his legs. With the added muscle, Hicks hopes to see an uptick in his average velocity. Hicks, who is listed as 6-foot-2, 220 pounds by the Giants, said he hopes to average no lower than 96 mph on his fastball this season.
“I feel good there,” Hicks said. “I feel like I can go a lot of innings at that intensity and if I slowly dwindle, then I think 94 plays as we saw last year.”
Wednesday, Hicks threw a total of 35 pitches, 21 strikes. He mixed in all four of his pitches; a sinker, sweeper, splitter, and 4-seam fastball.
His outing lasted 1 ⅓ scoreless innings. He struggled with command early, allowing a walk and hitting a batter en route to loading the bases in the first inning. He bounced back by striking out the final three batters he faced.
– Big free-agent signing Willy Adames and third baseman Matt Chapman shared the left side of the infield for the second time this spring, and batted second and third respectively in the lineup. Adames went 2-3 with a pair of singles, and Chapman finished 1-2 with a walk.
– Jerar Encarnacion made the start in left field and continued to make loud contact at the plate. In the fourth inning, he drove in Adames on a RBI double off the wall in right-center. He is now 5-11 with three RBI in his spring at bats.
– Casey Schmitt also left the yard in the second inning for a two-run homer off Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. Schmitt batted .252 with six home runs and 16 RBI in 40 games last year. He spent time at second, third, and shortstop, but appears to be blocked in the infield at the major league level.
– Former Camilo Doval made his second spring training outing, pitching in the top of the seventh. Doval threw 18 pitches, 12 for strikes, and allowed one hit.
In 2023, Doval had a 2.93 ERA, led the league in saves with 39, and walked just 26 batters in 67.2 innings. Last season, Doval struggled, finishing the season with a 4.88 ERA and walking 39 batters in 59 innings. Ryan Walker took over as the primary closer down the stretch last year and it remains to be seen how ninth inning duties will be handled in the regular season.
– For an injury update, Melvin noted that Tyler Fitzgerald (back) could make his Cactus League debut this weekend and Heliot Ramos (oblique) could see game action as early as Tuesday, March 4, against the San Diego Padres.
– Up next, the Giants take on the Seattle Mariners Thursday at Peoria Stadium. Landen Roupp, who is challenging Matt Harrison, Hayden Birdsong and others for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, is scheduled to start. The Giants are back at home on Friday when they host the Milwaukee Brewers.