After Alex Wood walked back into the Giants dugout after retiring Ozzie Albies to end the third inning, he and Gabe Kapler walked down the dugout steps toward the clubhouse.
Wood wanted to stay in the game. He felt strong and healthy enough to get more outs. Kapler told him he was done. That was that.
They quickly re-emerged into the dugout. Wood, after throwing 37 pitches in three hitless innings, watched as the next six Giants relievers completely shut down Atlanta’s offense. Wood didn’t register a win, but his first outing back since contracting COVID-19 in late-August was an unabashed success. The question then becomes: what’s next?
“Definitely exceeded expectations,” Kapler said of Wood. “Didn’t think that three innings was particularly likely going into this game.”
Wood hadn’t pitched in a MLB game since Aug. 26. After he tested positive, Wood spent seven straight days in bed with a fever. He had chills, body aches and other flu-like symptoms. His wife also tested positive and experienced symptoms, he recently told reporters.
Wood has repeatedly declined to comment on his vaccination status. When pushed on it Saturday, Wood said it’s his personal medical information and “none of your business.”
Wood said this week he still feels minor congestion, but nothing that can’t be treated with basic over-the-counter meds. He threw his first full bullpen session on Monday, then ramped up to a 21-pitch simulated game Wednesday. The morning after throwing live Wednesday, he said he felt “pretty smoked” and fatigued.
He didn’t make any rehab starts, so that meant he didn’t really have any expectations Saturday. Then he struck out four Braves, locating each of his pitches with precision.
Wood was so efficient that Kapler felt comfortable sending him out for a third inning. Kapler called that third inning a “frosting” inning because of how much of a bonus it was. There was never a strict pitch count set out, but the range of outcomes was likely around two innings.
“It’s crunch time,” Wood said. “We’re trying to win the division, secure a spot in the NLDS. Just kind of had the mindset of going to see how I feel, take it inning by inning and go as long as I could.”
Wood said he understood that the team had his best interest and the long-term picture in mind when replacing him with Zack Littell. Kapler hopes Wood can go four or five innings next start, continuing a gradual increase in workload. Even if the veteran is only capable of short-inning starts, he removes stress from a bullpen that has had to carry two full games every five days.
“We can’t see what’s going to happen with our rotation going forward, but now we can say that we have four healthy and effective starters again,” Kapler said.
The Giants haven’t necessarily relied on Wood to eat up major innings like a front-end starter this year, anyway. He’s only lasted at least six innings in 10 of his 23 starts. Yet he’s still been very effective, going 10-4 on the year. He also has experience coming out of the bullpen, which potentially makes him a dynamic postseason weapon.
Until then, he’s still building up. It’s possible he won’t be a six or seven-inning guy for the rest of the season. The Giants don’t really need that, anyway. They just need a reliable arm to turn its currently three-man rotation into a healthier four.
“Got five days, I’ll be ready to rock,” Wood said. “Whatever they need from me, hopefully I’ll be able to provide.”