Giants schedule Conner Menez to start Sunday in big league debut

The Giants placed southpaw Conner Menez on the taxi squad Saturday and manager Bruce Bochy announced that Menez will make his big league debut starting in place of Drew Pomeranz (2-9, 6.10 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale with New York.

Pomeranz struggled early in the season averaging 4.9 walks and 12 hits per nine innings and going 4-6 with an 8.08 ERA. He altered his arm slot in early June and seemed to be improving, allowing two or fewer runs in five of his last seven starts since June 7, posting a 3.78 ERA in that time. 

The one thing that never changed for Pomeranz was his inability to pitch economically. He pitched more than five innings just once in 17 starts this season. When asked if this factored into the club’s decision to move the lefty to the bullpen Bochy said:

“You know it probably wasn’t so much that. Could you say a little bit? Maybe, yeah. But that that wasn’t the thinking at this point. Right now, we just wanted another arm in the bullpen to help us out.” 

Menez started the 2019 season with the Flying Squirrels in Double-A Richmond before graduating to Triple-A in June. In 35-1/3 innings with the River Cats, the 26-year-old earned a 3.82 ERA and a 1.415 WHIP while striking out 13.5 batters per nine innings.

Of Menez, Bochy said:

“He’s been throwing the ball well, he’s got four pitches and he’s been commanding the ball well. He’s really been on a fast pace with his progress.”

Julie Parker is SFBay’s San Francisco Giants beat writer. Follow @SFBay and @InsideThePark3r on Twitter and at SFBay.ca for full coverage of Giants baseball.