SAN FRANCISCO – Spencer Bivens didn’t have much time to study or prepare for work trying to get a feel for the Los Angeles Angels‘ lineup. After receiving a late call notifying him that he was being called up to the Giants from the minors, the 29-year-old pitcher didn’t arrive in town until 3 a.m. and had a hard time catching any winks.
None of that seemed to matter once the well-traveled right-hander took the mound for his MLB debut. Bivens pitched three very strong innings of relief after starter Erik Miller’s lone inning of work, giving the Giants exactly what they needed as they cruised to victory in Sunday’s 13-6 victory at Oracle Park.
“It doesn’t really feel real,” Bivens said afterward in the Giants’ clubhouse. “I’m just waiting to wake up from a dream. Is incredible. I really don’t have words for it. It’s nothing like I imagined and even better that it is like this.
“I feel like before the game it was harder, just walking into the building and being here and really realizing that you’re here. I just try to stay calm and collected. “God was with me a little bit today.”
Bivens, who went undrafted out of college, spent time pitching in France and independent leagues before joining the Giants in 2022. He worked his way through the minors and went 4-0 with a . 2.81 in Triple-A with the Sacramento River Cats. this season before being called up to the big leagues.
Bivens dazzled in his debut. He allowed only one hit, a solo home run to Nolan Schanuel, who was the second batter to face him.
“It was very high and then very low, very fast,” Bivens said of his emotions after the home run.
That was really the only mistake Bivens made. He struck out four and walked none as he made his way into the Giants’ history books.
Bivens is the oldest player in franchise history to win in his debut since Ace Adams did so in 1941. Bivens is also the first Giants pitcher to pitch at least three innings and win in his debut since John Montefusco in 1974.
“To be able to see him come out today and have the success that he had was really cool,” Giants catcher Patrick Bailey said. “He did an excellent job with the execution. He threw a bunch of strikes, he threw a couple right-to-right swings that I don’t know if he actually did, and they were nasty.”
Bivens’ big moment came with his mother sitting among the crowd of 41,008 at Oracle Park, who applauded every outing the lanky right-hander made.
Bivens was pitching so well that manager Bob Melvin debated sending him out for another inning. That idea was stifled when the Giants’ bats exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Bivens, who was called up after Kyle Harrison’s ankle injury prevented him from starting, could have been given a permanent spot on the staff.
The Giants are expected to get several of their injured starters back in the coming weeks, and someone will have to leave to make room. Given his inexperience at this level, Bivens would seem to be the logical choice to send, but his dazzling debut could change things.
“With what he’s been through in his career, that’s as good as it gets,” Melvin said.
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