The SF Giants recalled outfielder Bryce Johnson and optioned right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle ( Giants preseason #28 prospect ) to Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday. Johnson was called upon after outfielder Mike Yastrzemski left Wednesday night's game with hamstring tightness. While the team is optimistic Yastrzemski can avoid a stint on the injured list, that forced them to look elsewhere to create a spot on the roster. So Hjelle, who threw four shutout innings in Wednesday's game, was the obvious candidate.
Johnson is one of the fastest players in the Giants organization. Johnson's athleticism is a big reason he has consistently been one of the best defenders and baserunners in the organization since he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2017 MLB Draft.
A switch-hitter, Johnson's upside is limited by below-average power. However, he has shown improved productivity over the past two seasons at Triple-A. This season, he has a .313/.397/.516 line with four doubles, three home runs, and five stolen bases in 16 games with the Sacramento River Cats.
Still, Johnson has struggled to match his minor-league production in his brief MLB stints. In 63 career big-league plate appearances, Johnson has posted a .155/.227/.275 triple-slash with a double and home run.
Hjelle has now been optioned three times this season, bringing him closer to the maximum (five) times a player can be optioned in a season before they must be exposed to waivers. Hjelle struggled mightily early in the season and still has a 7.79 ERA after his excellent outing on Wednesday, but more advanced numbers suggest he has suffered from some bad luck (5.52 xERA, 4.03 FIP, 4.23 xFIP).
Hjelle was still with the team prior to the game on Tuesday, suggesting he could be returning to the big-league roster before the end of the week when Yastrzemski is able to play again. If he does return to Sacramento, though, he would presumably rejoin the starting rotation. Hjelle has a 4.09 ERA in eight starts at Triple-A this season with 26 strikeouts and 10 walks in 33 innings pitched.
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