The Giants non-tendered Small on Friday, Justice delos Santos of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
An oblique injury prevented Small from making his first appearance at Triple-A Sacramento until July 30, and he went on to allow six earned runs in nine innings. Uninspired by his performance in the minors, the Giants will now let Small walk in free agency. The 27-year-old southpaw will presumably have to settle for a minor-league deal in the offseason.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Activated, optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Giants activated Small (oblique) from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.
Small was shut down in March due to a right oblique strain and was subsequently placed on the IL. He's since completed a rehab assignment at Triple-A and will remain in Sacramento following Friday's transaction.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Moves rehab to Single-A
Rotowire
Small (oblique) shifted his rehab assignment to Single-A San Jose on Saturday and struck out two while allowing one hit and no walks over one inning.
Small was cleared to join the Giants' California League affiliate after he struck out four over three innings of a one-run ball across his three rehab appearances in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League. The southpaw will eventually move his rehab assignment up to Triple-A Sacramento, and he could remain with the Giants' top affiliate once he's activated from the 60-day injured list after his 30-day rehab window comes to a close. Small has been on the shelf all season with a right oblique strain.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Sent out on rehab assignment
Rotowire
Small (oblique) began a rehab assignment Tuesday in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League, striking out one while allowing one run on one hit and no walks over one inning.
Small has been sidelined all season with a Grade 2 right oblique strain but has finally been cleared to pitch in games. Given the lengthy layoff, the left-handed reliever will likely require an extended rehab assignment before he's activated from the Giants' 60-day injured list. He has a minor-league option remaining and could be sent to Triple-A Sacramento once his rehab assignment concludes.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Faces hitters Friday
Rotowire
Small (oblique) threw a 20-pitch live batting practice session Friday, MLB.com reports.
Small had been vying for a spot in the Giants' Opening Day bullpen during spring training before sustaining a Grade 2 right oblique strain late in camp that resulted in him opening the season on the injured list. He was shut down for about two months before he was finally cleared to start playing catch, and he's been gradually increasing the volume and intensity of his throwing sessions. Now that he's resumed facing hitters, Small could be on the cusp of heading out on what will likely be an extended minor-league rehab assignment. The 27-year-old lefty still has a minor-league option remaining, so the Giants could send him to Triple-A Sacramento upon activating him from the 60-day IL if there isn't a spot for him in the big-league bullpen.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Throwing off flat ground
Rotowire
Small (oblique) is slated to throw out to 120 feet this week, MLB.com reports.
Assuming Small responds well to the long-toss throwing, he could be cleared to start throwing off a mound again as soon as next week. Small has spent the entire season on the Giants' 60-day injured list with a moderate right oblique strain. The 27-year-old lefty still has a minor-league option remaining and could be sent to Triple-A Sacramento once the Giants deem him ready to return from the IL.
The Giants placed Small (oblique) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Small sustained a Grade 2 right oblique strain just under two weeks ago and will now spend the first two months of the regular season rehabbing and recovering from the injury after landing on the 60-day IL. The 27-year-old lefty had served as a starter for most of his professional career but made the full-time move to the bullpen last season while he was in the Milwaukee organization.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Out with oblique strain
Rotowire
Small will be sidelined for several weeks after being diagnosed with a moderate right oblique strain, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Small had been in the running to win a spot in the Giants' bullpen, but he'll likely begin the season on the IL instead. The southpaw was acquired via trade from the Brewers last month.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Not much action in spring
Rotowire
Small has allowed one run on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts over 3.2 innings across two Cactus League games.
Small isn't getting a particularly long look so far, which doesn't bode well for him making the major-league bullpen. Small worked as a starter in the minors up until last season. He has 10.1 major-league innings under his belt with the Brewers, but he's yet to display much success in the majors. The southpaw would likely end up in a low-leverage role if he happens to break camp with the Giants.
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Giants' Ethan Small: Moved to San Francisco
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Small was traded from the Brewers to the Giants on Monday in exchange for cash considerations, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Small put up solid numbers at Triple-A Nashville in 2023, posting a 3.18 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with a 61:24 K:BB across 51 innings, but it didn't translate to the big leagues in what was a small sample size. The southpaw surrendered five runs on nine hits and two walks while striking out six across four frames. Small will compete for a low-leverage relief role during spring training.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Loses roster spot
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Small was designated for assignment by the Brewers on Thursday, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.
Small was selected in the first round of the 2019 Draft and rose quickly through Milwaukee's minor-league system. However, he's made just four big-league appearances and shifted to a relief role in 2023. Due to his former prospect pedigree, Small could be claimed by a team on waivers.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Back in minors
Rotowire
The Brewers optioned Small to Triple-A Nashville on Friday.
One day after recording his first major-league save, Small will head back to Triple-A in favor of Clayton Andrews. Small holds an 8.71 ERA and a 2.61 WHIP through 10.1 big-league innings in his career, though the 26-year-old lefty could still be in a position to compete for a spot in Milwaukee's bullpen during spring training next year.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Secures first career save
Rotowire
Small gave up two walks and no hits in a scoreless inning, en route to his first career save in Thursday's 3-0 win over the Cardinals.
Small has not traditionally been an option to close games in his limited work so far, however the team was willing to experiment with the rookie in a high-leverage spot given they are likely providing their regulars extra rest in advance of the playoffs. The southpaw made things tight by bringing the tying run to the plate in Masyn Winn after allowing two walks, but managed to close the door and preserve the team shutout. This was Small's first appearance since being recalled on Wednesday. He logged a 3.18 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 51 innings while working as a reliever with Triple-A Nashville.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Called up Wednesday
Rotowire
Small was recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old will take the roster spot of J.B. Bukauskas, who landed on the injured list with a finger injury. Small allowed five earned runs over three frames in his lone big-league appearance of the season back in late May.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Optioned to minors
Rotowire
The Brewers optioned Small to Triple-A Nashville on Saturday.
Small covered three innings behind starter Freddy Peralta in Friday's loss to the Giants, allowing five runs on nine hits. The lefty's ERA now sits at 15.00, and he was going to be unavailable for a few days after Friday's outing, so it only makes sense that the Brewers would swap him out for a fresh arm. Jake Cousins was recalled in a corresponding move.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
Milwaukee recalled Small from Triple-A Nashville on Friday.
The 26-year-old right-hander will replace Tyson Miller in the Brewers' bullpen ahead of Friday night's game against the visiting Giants. Small has allowed five earned runs in 6.1 innings this season at the MLB level, but he's looked fairly sharp at Triple-A.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Sent to Triple-A camp
Rotowire
Small was optioned Monday to Triple-A Nashville by the Brewers, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Small was auditioning for a bullpen spot with the Brewers this spring, but he comes up short -- at least to begin the season. The left-hander has shown impressive swing-and-miss stuff but also has had trouble finding the strike zone, and that includes three walks in five innings over four Cactus League appearances. If Small can ever find the command, he has a chance to be a fantasy contributor, but there's as much risk as reward in his profile.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Auditioning for bullpen role
Rotowire
Manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Small is competing for a spot in the Brewers' Opening Day bullpen as a long reliever, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Though Aaron Ashby is expected to be sidelined until at least mid-May due to a shoulder injury, Small isn't being viewed as a candidate to replace him in the rotation, at least not to begin the season. Small was roughed up in his first two big-league starts in 2022 (7.11 ERA, 2.53 WHIP, 7:8 K:BB in 6.1 innings), but Counsell believes the southpaw can find more success working as a multi-inning reliever. Hoby Milner and Justin Wilson are the only other lefty relievers on the 40-man roster at the moment, which could work in Small's favor as he aims to secure a spot in the bullpen.
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Brewers' Ethan Small: Wild in return to majors
Rotowire
Small allowed three runs on four hits and four walks while striking out three in 3.2 innings in a 7-6 victory Tuesday against Minnesota. He didn't factor into the decision.
Small was recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start Tuesday's game and struggled in his return to the majors. Byron Buxton welcomed him back by launching a solo shot to lead off the game and the Twins added two more runs in the third. Only 33 of his 63 pitches went for strikes and he has now walked eight batters in 6.1 innings across his two big-league starts. With two off days over the next week, the Brewers might not need Small to make another start any time soon, and he could return to Nashville shortly.
