On the heels of a 2016 campaign where they blew a league-leading 30 saves, Mark Melancon and Will Smith were supposed to provide a potent late-inning one-two punch for the Giants last season. Instead, Smith missed the entire campaign after an elbow injury sustained in Spring Training, forcing him to get Tommy John surgery, while Melancon’s rocky first season in SF was cut short in September when a right forearm issue led to a surgery of his own.
The good news is that both are on pace to be back for the start the 2018 season according to Giants manager Bruce Bochy.
Bochy said Giants expect Melancon to be ready by the start of spring training. Will Smith should be ready opening day if he stays on schedule. Makes it easier to address other holes this offseason.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) December 12, 2017
From 2013-2016, Melancon was one of the dominant closers in baseball, posting a combined 1.80 ERA during that time, and notching 147 saves. It is assumed that Melancon’s lingering forearm issues were at least partially responsible for his 4.50 ERA in 32 appearances last year.
Smith, who many feel has to potential to be a supreme left-handed setup man, was acquired via trade with the Brewers midway through the 2016 season.
One positive of Smith’s absence and Melancon’s ineffectiveness was the emergence of Sam Dyson, who’s 14 saves were certainly enough to impress the Giants into giving him a full-time spot in the bullpen next season. If Melancon and Smith both turn things around, San Francisco will have a solid foundation in a bullpen that finished 19th in ERA last season.