Sean Hjelle’s goal this spring for the upcoming season was simple: debut.
The goal is now real. He learned he was getting the chance on Thursday night, told his wife and then woke up his parents back home in Minnesota around 2 a.m. with non-stop calls until they picked up. Those types of calls are either really, really bad or really, really good news.
This one, of the latter variety, couldn’t wait.
“It’s what you dream about in the backyard as a kid,” Hjelle said from the Giants’ Oracle Park clubhouse Friday. “I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
When Hjelle, the Giants’ second-round pick from 2018, makes his major league debut, he’ll be the tallest MLB pitcher to appear in a game (tied with Jon Rauch). The 6-foot-11, 24-year-old righty joined the Giants (14-11) on Friday for their game against St. Louis and will be available out of the bullpen to provide what Giants manager Gabe Kapler called a “deception advantage.”
“It’s an advantage to be very different in the major leagues,” Kapler said. It’s part of the reason when you have a really unique arm slot, that takes a while for players to adjust to. Or if you have shapes and movement profiles on your pitches that are wildly different from the rest of the league, it takes a while — Tyler Rogers by way of example — for the league to adjust…my personal take on it is being very different is always good when it comes to pitchers.”
Starting this season, Hjelle was on the big-league bubble. He made the 40-man roster, and farm director Kyle Haines told KNBR in April that the only thing keeping Hjelle waiting was a need at the major-league level. The Giants have it now, after a string of bullpen games, injuries and COVID-19 have thinned their pitching depth.
Hjelle spent the offseason polishing off his pitches — a mid-90s fastball, big-breaking curve and sinking changeup. Another big fix he focused on was more unique.
“Being so tall and long-levered, my by thing is kind of arching my back and flying open,” Hjelle told KNBR during spring training. “Just staying strong on that front side and being disciplined with that.”
Honing in on that strategy can help with Hjelle’s command. He likened a pitcher’s glove-side arm to a hunter’s scope; arching your back and flying open keeps it steady.
He’s had some nagging back issues that come with pitching with such a large frame, but came out of the spring healthy. In five starts with the River Cats, he’s posted a 4.76 ERA in the hitter-friendly league. He hasn’t pitched since May 1, so he’s rested.
More important than his earned run average, Hjelle has lowered his walk rate back down to a healthier figure. He walked 4.9 batters per nine innings last year in Triple-A, but that’s now 2.0 — same as where it was when he pitched at the low-A level in 2019.
“Sean had a really nice spring, and he’s off to a good start in Triple-A,” Kapler said. “He’s in the zone more in Triple-A more this year than he was in Triple-A last year…big initiative for him this year was attacking the strike zone with his sinker. He’s getting a ton of balls on the ground. That’s a good signal. Got a nice defense behind him tonight and he has an opportunity to pitch in tonight’s game.”
Like the Giants did earlier in the year with Heliot Ramos, they’re bringing up Hjelle for an advantageous matchup. The Cardinals’ lineup is very right-handed hitter heavy, with stars Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt anchoring the heart of the order.
When he walked into Oracle Park Friday, he said he told Kapler that it hadn’t yet hit him. Just wait until you put on the jersey, his skipper replied.
Whenever Hjelle does debut, he’ll do so in front of a flock of Hjelles — his two children, his wife, his parents, his grandfather, his best friend plus his parents and more.
When asked about how Hjelle fits into San Francisco’s overall plans, Kapler left open the possibility that he could stay up longer than this weekend. It’ll depend on his performance.
Hjelle said in the spring that veterans have told him that the real challenge isn’t making The Show, it’s sticking. For years, Hjelle’s been pushing to take someone’s big-league roster spot. Now everyone will be gunning for his. The dynamic is healthy competition and is especially prevalent with the way the Giants manage their roster.
“For some guys, it’s easy to get up there but it’s a lot harder to stay,” Hjelle said in March. “Showing that I do belong to stay there, if I get a chance to get up there, and proving that I have the spot. To win a spot, earn a spot. Hopefully I’ll have a job up there for a long time.”
- LaMonte Wade Jr. is back from the injured list and will make his season debut on Friday, leading off and playing right field. Wade is feeling good and knew he was ready to play Friday morning after experiencing a bit of soreness the morning prior. To make room for Wade and Hjelle, the Giants returned reliever Mauricio Llovera to Triple-A and optioned Sam Long to Sacramento.
- It’s mental health awareness month, and many Giants have committed to growing out their mustaches to express support. Wade and Mike Yastrzemski are the early leaders, but Yaz was impressed by Mauricio Dubón’s effort compared to last year. Hjelle normally sports a ‘stache, so he fits right in.
- Jakob Junis hasn’t pitched for the River Cats since getting sent down, but could be an option at the big-league level soon, Kapler said. Junis pitched 10 scoreless innings to start 2022.
- Dominic Leone and Brandon Belt remain in COVID protocol, with the former being closer to returning than the first baseman. Steven Duggar is out of protocol but continues to rehab his oblique strain.