SAN FRANCISCO - It wasn't until a few days ago that Madison Bumgarner was cleared to swing a bat, but he certainly hasn't appeared to miss a beat. In his second round of BP back at AT&T Park, Bumgarner started peppering the park with line drives.
It was a pleasing sight for players and coaches who watched, and the next step will give them a bit more to be excited about. After throwing a bullpen session Tuesday, Bumgarner will take the next step in his rehab. He'll start for the Sacramento River Cats on Friday, kicking off what could be a tour of the organization's California affiliates.
Bumgarner will throw every five days as he normally would, but the Giants aren't sure it's necessary to send him to Albuquerque for his second start. Manager Bruce Bochy said nothing is final, but Bumgarner's next start could come July 5 in San Jose, where he hasn't started since five dominant appearances in 2009. His next start after that could also be in San Jose, since Triple-A has an All-Star break when he's scheduled to go July 10.
After that? Well, how ‘bout the big leagues?
Team officials haven't shut the door on Bumgarner returning as early as July 15 in San Diego. That would be the second game out of the All-Star break, and would have Bumgarner back about two weeks earlier than first expected. The Giants do not want to rush him, but they're proud of the way he has attacked the rehab process, and at some point they won't hold him back if he's deemed 100 percent.
First things first, Bumgarner needs to get through Friday's start. The early returns have been positive. He threw three innings in an Arizona Rookie League game Sunday and was so dominant that he had to go down to the bullpen to get his pitch count up. Bumgarner threw 16 fastballs, 14 for strikes. Javier Lopez was on hand keeping an eye on Bumgarner and said the ball was coming out of his hand as it always has.
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--- The Giants have a couple of off days coming up, but Bochy said he is not considering skipping Matt Moore, who has a 6.04 ERA.
"Right now, we're better off pitching him," Bochy said. "He was so good in Atlanta. It's really important to keep him going. There's no health issue. I think he needs to keep pitching. I think he's really close, I do. Some of these starts, he's probably trying to establish his fastball too much and he didn't have great command of it."
--- Austin Slater (hip flexor) is expected back in the lineup Wednesday. He didn't play Monday, but he was cleared to pinch-hit if needed.
--- Cody Hall, a former Giant, is back with the organization. The Giants traded Hall to the Diamondbacks last January and he was briefly a Marlin later in the year. Hall was playing independent league ball when the Giants signed him to a minor league deal. He'll likely head to Double-A as depth. There have been some injuries and promotions at the higher levels of the organization.
--- Steven Duggar was in camp for the first time and he might have been an outfield replacement had he stayed healthy. After dealing with a flexor strain and hamstring tightness, he returned to rehab games last night. He should be in San Jose soon, and then it'll be back to Sacramento at some point. Duggar is the center fielder closest to the majors, so it would be nice to get a look at him in September.
--- There was something new Monday night, and it wasn't just the victory. Sam Dyson pitched the eighth, striking out Nolan Arenado, Raimel Tapia and Ian Desmond around a single. Bochy said after the game that Dyson is his main eighth-inning guy right now. That's quite the ride for a guy who was DFA'd not long ago, and it's another feather in Dave Righetti's cap. Remember, the Giants basically got Dyson for free.
