The Giants reassigned Szapucki (pectoral) to minor-league camp Monday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Though Szapucki received an invitation to big-league spring training after re-signing with the Giants on a minor-league deal in November, he didn't appear in any Cactus League games while he continues to recover from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent last May. According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Szapucki had his first rib removed as part of the procedure, along with his pectoralis minor and one of his scalene muscles. He's been able to throw off a mound during camp and is expected to be ready to make his season debut in April or May, likely with Triple-A Sacramento.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Returns to Giants on minors pact
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Szapucki (shoulder) signed a minor-league contract with the Giants on Nov. 18.
Szapucki was non-tendered by San Francisco on Nov. 17 before being brought back into the fold one day later. The 27-year-old left-hander hasn't pitched at any level since 2022 because of a shoulder injury that ultimately required thoracic outlet surgery this past May. It's hard to say what his health status will be at the beginning of the 2024 campaign.
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Thomas Szapucki: Hits open market
Rotowire
Szapucki (side) was non-tendered by the Giants on Friday.
He had surgery to relieve thoracic outlet syndrome in May, so Szapucki may not be healthy for the start of the 2024 season. The 27-year-old lefty converted to relief pitching after joining the Giants from the Mets in 2022. He has an 8.68 ERA in 18.2 MLB innings.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Undergoing surgery Friday
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Szapucki is undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome Friday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Szapucki has been on the 60-day injured list since the start of the season due to what was originally diagnosed as shoulder trouble, and the surgery will all but assuredly put an end to the season. The left-hander will have a chance to compete for a roster spot in 2024 if he's healthy, but the track record of pitchers recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome is spotty at best.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Beginning year on 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Giants placed Szapucki (arm) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Szapucki's move to the 60-day IL opens up a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher Roberto Perez and ensures the 26-year-old lefty will miss at least the first two months of the season. The Giants shut Szapucki down earlier this month after he experienced soreness in in his left arm, and he's since received multiple medical opinions on the injury, including a consultation with a doctor who specializes in thoracic outlet syndrome. The team has yet to provide an estimated timeline for Szapucki to resume pitching while he contends with an injury the Giants are currently terming as "left arm neuropathy."
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Getting second opinion
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The Giants announced Monday that Szapucki is seeking a second opinion for his left upper arm injury, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
The initial diagnosis was that Szapucki is dealing with neuropathy, which left his fingers numb during his lone Cactus League appearance back in late February. He remains shut down from throwing as the Giants attempt to get a clearer handle on the situation.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Dealing with neuropathy
Rotowire
Szapucki is likely to begin the season on the injured list due to neuropathy in his pitching arm, Evan Webeck of the Mercury News reports.
Szapucki couldn't feel the fingers on his left hand during his lone Cactus League appearance back on Feb. 26. He hasn't thrown a ball since and the Giants are still trying to determine the root cause of the issue. It sounds like he'll remain shut down until the team has better idea of how to proceed, so he could be sidelined for a while.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Moves past hip injury
Rotowire
Szapucki (hip) struck out two in a perfect inning Friday versus the Diamondbacks.
Szapucki hadn't pitched since Sept. 24 after exiting his last appearance with hip tightness. Friday marked his first clean outing this year, though his season-long numbers remain skewed by his lone appearance with the Mets in May in which he allowed nine runs in 1.1 innings versus the Giants. He has given up three runs in 11.2 innings across nine outings over two stints in the big leagues with the Giants since he was included in the Darin Ruf trade at the deadline.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Leaves with hip tightness
Rotowire
Szapucki was removed from Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks with right hip tightness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Szapucki tossed a couple scoreless innings behind starting pitcher Alex Cobb, needing just 20 pitches to record six outs. It seems he would have continued on if not for the hip injury. If this turns out to be more than a day-to-day issue, Szapucki will finish the campaign with a 9.00 ERA and 16:5 K:BB in nine big-league appearances (one start) between the Mets and Giants.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Recalled to big leagues
Rotowire
Szapucki was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday.
After recording a 1.08 ERA in Sacramento, Szapucki will make his return to the majors. The 26-year-old lefty has pitched four innings out of the bullpen for the Giants this year, recording a 2.25 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in that time. Fellow releiver Zack Littell was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
Szapucki was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.
Szapucki was called up by the Giants in mid-August, and he posted a 2.25 ERA and 1.50 WHIP while striking out seven in four innings over three relief appearances during this stint with the major-league club. However, he'll cede his spot in the bullpen to Scott Alexander, whose contract was selected Friday.
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Giants' Thomas Szapucki: Dealt to San Francisco
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Szapucki was traded from the Mets to the Giants on Tuesday along with J.D. Davis, Nick Zwack and Carson Seymour in exchange for Darin Ruf, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports.
A lefty who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2019, Szapucki's 65.1 total innings this season are his highest mark in a pro season to date, so it's safe to say he does not have the durability to be a starter. At 26 years old and with a 3.38 ERA and 87 strikeouts at Triple-A, he could be ready to help the Giants' bullpen in short order.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Sent back down
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Szapucki was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Szapucki made his first major-league start Wednesday against the Giants and gave up nine runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two in 1.1 innings. It's not very surprising to see him sent down following his rough outing, but he'll likely be in the mix to serve as a spot starter later in the year since he has a 2.86 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 22 innings for Syracuse.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Disastrous first start
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Szapucki (0-1) allowed nine earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out two across 1.1 innings to take the loss Wednesday against the Giants.
Szapucki was called up to make his first big-league start to fill an opening in the rotation after the Mets had a doubleheader over the weekend. However, he was crushed for four home runs prior to being yanked after recording just four outs. Szapucki will likely find himself back at Triple-A Syracuse in the coming days, where he has maintained a 2.86 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 30:9 K:BB across 22 innings.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Promotion official
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The Mets recalled Szapucki from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Giants in San Francisco, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
New York optioned reliever Stephen Nogosek to the minors to make room on the 26-man active roster for Szapucki, who will likely just be making a spot start for the Mets before heading back to Syracuse. Over his seven starts at Syracuse this season, Szapucki has maxed out at five innings and has turned in a 2.86 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 23.1 K-BB%.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Confirmed as Wednesday's starter
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Manager Buck Showalter said Szapucki will be called up from Triple-A Syracuse to start Wednesday's game in San Francisco, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.
Szapucki will likely just be making a spot start before returning to the minors, as the Mets had to temporarily transition to a six-man rotation as a result of their doubleheader with the Rockies last weekend. Ideally, Szapucki will be able to give the Mets a decent amount of length in his first MLB start and second career appearance in the majors, as New York needed five relievers to cover the final 4.1 innings of Tuesday's 13-12 loss. Through seven outings with Syracuse in 2022, Szapucki has compiled a 2.86 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 30:9 K:BB across 22 innings.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Could start Wednesday in San Fran
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The Mets are "leaning heavily" toward recalling Szapucki from Triple-A Syracuse to start Wednesday's game against the Giants, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
Due to a doubleheader this past weekend in Colorado, the Mets will need to break a sixth starter into the rotation Wednesday, and Szapucki looks like the leading option to make a spot start. Arm injuries have slowed Szapucki's progression through the Mets' farm system since he was drafted in 2015, but he's been healthy and effective at Triple-A this season, submitting a 2.86 ERA and 1.32 WHIP while striking out 30 in 22 innings. If Szapucki does in fact get the call to start Wednesday, he'll most likely be sent back to Syracuse following the outing, but he could make a case to stick around as a back-end member of the rotation over Trevor Williams or David Peterson if he fares better than anticipated in what would be only his second MLB appearance.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Placed on 60-day injured list
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Szapucki (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Friday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Szapucki had been on the injured list at the Triple-A level since mid-July after undergoing season-ending elbow surgery. He had to be recalled before he could be placed on the 60-day injured list, so he'll now be earning major-league pay and service time while he recovers.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Elbow surgery ends season
Rotowire
Szapucki underwent ulnar transposition surgery in his left elbow that will end his season, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
The procedure was necessary to repair a nerve issue in the lefty's pitching elbow. Szapucki appeared in one game for the Mets this season and struggled, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks in just 3.2 innings. It's unclear whether he'll be healthy for the start of spring training in 2022.
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Mets' Thomas Szapucki: Whiffs seven in Triple-A start
Rotowire
Szapucki struck out a season-high seven batters and allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits and one walk over five innings in his most recent start Friday for Triple-A Syracuse.
Szapucki was making his second start for Syracuse since being returned from the minors after he had served as the Mets' 27th man for the team's May 27 doubleheader with the Rockies. The Mets ultimately didn't need him to provide length out of the bullpen, but the 24-year-old lefty may not have to wait much longer before making his big-league debut. Due to doubleheaders June 19 (in Washington) and June 21 (versus Atlanta), the Mets will soon need to add sixth and seventh starters to the mix on a temporary basis, and Szapucki would appear to be a strong candidate to fill one of the openings.
