SAN FRANCISCO — Kai Wei-Teng is learning the tough reality of being the last reliever on the Giants’ 26-man roster. In that, the morning after providing mop-up duties, he no longer was on the roster.
Teng, 25, was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento before Saturday’s game, clearing space to reinstate Sean Hjelle from his rehab assignment. He became the expendable option after allowing the Diamondbacks to widen their lead Friday night from 9-1 to 14-1 in the eventual 17-1 loss, using 36 pitches to record three outs while walking three batters and being tagged for four hits.
“That’s kind of what happens in games like that,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Somebody of length goes (out).”
It was the first time Teng took down fewer than three innings, raising the rookie’s ERA to 9.82 in four appearances. In 11 innings, he has seven strikeouts but eight walks.
Called up out of necessity on March 29 when Luke Jackson went on the IL, Teng will return to starting at Triple-A, Melvin said.
“He got a taste of the big leagues; I think that’s good experience for him,” Melvin said. “He’ll go down and start and get stretched out a little bit more, but I think the overall experience was good for him.”
Hjelle, 27, is expected to step into Teng’s multi-inning relief role, though he only threw more than one inning once in four rehab appearances. Between Single-A San Jose and Triple-A Sacramento, Hjelle allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven over 5⅓ total innings.
He missed most of spring training after straining his elbow early in camp.
Together with Nick Avila, who recorded the last two outs by a Giants pitcher in Friday’s blowout, “they’re kind of our length out there today,” Melvin said.
The loss was the largest dealt to the Giants at home since May 24, 2019, when the same opponent thrashed them, 18-2. The names on the front of the jerseys may be the same, but the backs have changed some. The Diamondbacks’ starting pitcher, for instance? Robbie Ray. And behind him at shortstop? Nick Ahmed.
For all the boos hurled at Crazy Crab and all the Croix de Candlestick pins out there — and the three World Series trophies proudly displayed in their new home — the Giants have suffered more blowout losses at Oracle Park in 24 years than they did in almost twice the time at Candlestick Park.
It was the third time the Giants have lost by 16 or more at home since moving into their waterfront ballpark in 2000, compared to only twice from 1960-1999.