Roles, results change as Giants win four games over Rockies

San Francisco Giants pitcher Jordan Hicks was scheduled to make his final start of the season on Sunday, but was replaced at the last minute by opener Erik Miller.

“It will be easier to make the transition putting him in the bullpen today because it wasn’t going to be a deep game anyway,” manager Bob Melvin said.

Hicks is still on his regular pitching schedule as part of the rotation and came out of the bullpen doors for the sixth inning of a 3-1 game. The converted starter didn’t come out firing – as he did in his previous life as a reliever – but gave up two runs in two innings of work. He threw 35 pitches, surrendered a solo home run and averaged 93.5 mph on his sinker.

In an unexpected bullpen game, the Giants defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-4 to win the four-game series and move one step closer to playoff relevance.

The offense was supported by the pitching staff.

Leadoff hitter Jorge Soler has been on base quite a bit lately, going 3-for-5 with an RBI; since the last game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he’s 11-for-18 with five walks and three strikeouts. Matt Chapman went 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

If the Giants really want to be a wild card contender, the offense will have to perform consistently against the many mediocre teams on the schedule.

They’ll also need to capitalize on the momentum their pitching staff is generating now, which is making a shift. Blake Snell, Robbie Ray and soon Alex Cobb will raise the rotation’s ceiling, while Hicks can add a new dynamic to an overloaded bullpen.

It’s an unorthodox shift, going from reliever to starter and back to reliever again. But it was all part of a plan hatched when the 27-year-old signed a four-year, $44 million contract in the offseason with the promise of a spot in the rotation.

Now that he had pitched 100 innings, surpassing his previous personal best of 77 ⅔ innings set in 2018, Hicks and the coaching staff knew he had to limit his total innings to 120 to 130 to keep his arm in optimal condition for the long term as a starter.

It’s often said that pitchers need to scale up to prepare for an increasing workload. Hicks will need to slow down. That means he’ll throw multiple innings during his normal rest as a starter and gradually ease into a more traditional bullpen role — perhaps throwing fewer innings and being available on an as-needed basis.

“The only difference with the bullpen is you don’t know when you’re going to pitch,” Hicks said. “The first few times, I know when I’m going to pitch. The only time it’s different is when I don’t know.”

There’s no set plan for what the ramp down will look like, but his versatility plays to his advantage. He has experience as a set-up guy, closer and long reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays. He has a 100-plus mph fastball in his arsenal, but he’s not sure yet if he’ll be able to show it this season.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen or how they’re going to handle it,” said Hicks. “It’s just step by step right now.”

Short: Cobb’s final rehab appearance with Class-A San Jose was shortened from five innings to two after he burst a blister on his right index finger. Cobb was originally scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics, but the blister, another setback in a blister-filled season for Cobb, will likely force his season debut sometime during the Cincinnati Reds series. The 36-year-old had been recovering from midseason hip surgery and suffered a setback earlier this season after experiencing soreness in his right shoulder.

“I’m almost embarrassed that every time something happens I’m almost ready,” Cobb said. “Because I’m almost there and I have to deal with this little thing. I’m thankful it’s nothing serious, I was just ready.”

Heliot Ramos is struggling with an injury to his right thumb. He will not be able to play on Sunday, mainly as a precaution due to the day off on Monday.

Contact Shayna Rubin: [email protected]