When the San Francisco Giants cut bait on top pitching prospect Kyle Harrison last season in the Rafael Devers trade, they knew there was a chance that the then 23-year-old would come back to haunt them. Just under a year after the trade, that possibility became a reality.
Harrison tied a career high by striking out 12 Giants in 5.2 innings, moving to 7-1 on the season with a 1.57 ERA. The only damage came on a sixth-inning solo shot by Willy Adames to give the Giants their lone run off Harrison in what eventually ended up an 8-3 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Giants might have been extra regretful of the deal since their prize return from the trade was fitted for a Golden Sombrero after striking out four times in five at-bats. He did deliver a productive strikeout in the first inning, making Harrison throw 10 pitches before he was caught looking at a fastball — which now regularly hits 97 MPH. At least Zach Wheeler had the courtesy to wait a few seasons to become an All-Star after the Giants traded him.
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Yes, seeing 10 pitches counted as a victory Tuesday against Harrison. It looked like the Giants might shorten his night when Casey Schmitt and Devers got his pitch count up to 16 with back-to-back strikeouts, Luis Arraez tripled, and Adames walked on five pitches. With Harrison sitting at 26 pitches, Matt Chapman swung at the first pitch he saw and popped out.
After that, it felt like Harrison wanted to send a message to his old teammates and Buster Posey. Daniel Susac singled in the second, and Harrison struck out five in a row. Adames singled to open the 4th and Harrison struck out the next three hitters. He was one strike away from exiting with six shutout innings before Adames went deep.
The Giants prepared for a tough left-handed pitcher by loading up on righties. Jonah Cox and Victor Bericoto started alongside Schmitt in the outfield, and new Giants Buddy Kennedy was the DH. The trio went 0-for-6 with four Ks off Harrison, and Kennedy also struck out against lefty reliever Aaron Ashby.
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Cox delivered the game’s most frustrating at-bat in the 7th inning. After Susac and Bericoto singled to lead off the inning, the rookie center fielder squared to bunt and popped it up to the pitcher. Later in the inning, Devers grounded out with runners on second and third — but at least he didn’t end up with the Platinum Sombrero.
Trevor McDonald (2-3) probably deserved better, after bouncing back from a three-run first inning. He didn’t give up another run in the next four innings, keeping the Giants within striking range by getting lots of ground balls and a clutch 6-3 double play. McDonald also came within one strike of escaping a jam that started with back-to-back walks, than left a sinker over the plate that tuned into a three-run homer from Jake Bauers, who looks nothing like Kiefer Sutherland.
The game was full of baffling decisions, excellent Brewers base running, and some very poor Giants defense.
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Daniel Susac made an error on a pickoff throw to second base because his throw hit the batter in the helmet. Tony Vitello argued for interference, but Sal Frelick didn’t move and was probably extremely surprised.
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McDonald had Luis Rengfio picked off in the 2nd inning, but threw the ball away. Chapman had trouble dealing with some challenging grounders in the 8th, which were both ruled infield singles, but Prime Chapman would usually turn into outs. New center fielder Drew Gilbert also gave up a double to Jackson Chourio that hit his glove. It would have been a great defensive play, but it wasn’t, and the game went from 6-3 to 8-3 when Chourio scored on a Bryce Turang single two pitches later.
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Bryce Eldridge sat against a left-handed starter. But to sit in favor of designated hitter Buddy Kennedy, a man whose career slash line against lefties is .194/.286/.301 is baffling. Kennedy’s name also sounds like the video game alias for a player who didn’t sign the licensing agreement. When Eldridge finally got in the game, he delivered an RBI single.
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Maybe Jung Hoo Lee needed a rest day, but he also delivered an RBI pinch-hit in the 8th. He’s on a five-game hitting streak since coming off the Injured List and has gone 13-for-20. But platoons!
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Devers struck out twice in at-bats where an ABS Challenge went against him, once reversing a ball call to hand him a K and once when he appealed a borderline strike himself and lost, then became Harrison’s 12th strikeout.
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The Giants walked seven Brewers. Five of them came around to score.
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Tristan Beck gave up four runs in the 8th, all with two outs. 1-2-3 hitters Christian Yelich, Chourio, and Turang all knocked in runs, and have scored 11 runs and driven in 12 runs in the series.
There were positives. Susac went 3-for-4, though the Giants couldn’t get him home. Adames went 2-for-4 with a walk and turned two big 6-3 double plays. Erik Miller had a nice inning of relief. No one tore their hamstring on a routine ground ball. The crowd looked like they had a great time.
The Giants aren’t done facing 24-year-old pitchers in this series. Wednesday, the Brewers are calling up Tyson Hardin to make his major-league debut, after he had 61 strikeouts in 48 innings between AA and AAA this season. He is, however, right-handed, so we may not see another Bericoto-Cox Murdered Row in that game.
Then again, anything can happen with this team’s roster and lineup decisions. After all, we never dreamed 2026 would be the start of the Buddy Kennedy Era.
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