Samardzija sharp in spring tuneup vs. Rangers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Given the number of questions that loomed over him at the beginning of Spring Training, Jeff Samardzija’s first three Cactus League starts have gone about as well as the Giants could have hoped.

Samardzija extended his impressive start to the spring on Sunday, giving up one run on two hits over 3 2/3 innings in the Giants’ 7-6 loss to the Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium. The lone blemish came courtesy of former Giants teammate Hunter Pence, who launched a solo home run on a misplaced cutter in the third inning and promptly drew a standing ovation from the 8,607 fans in attendance.

“It kind of takes the edge off a little bit when the home fans are cheering for the road guy,” Samardzija said, smiling. “But what a great guy. Obviously, we owe a lot to that guy, and we wish him the best. It’s good to see him out there playing hard. He looks healthy, too.”

The same can be said for Samardzija, who has so far shown no remnants of the right shoulder injury that limited him to just 10 starts for the Giants in 2018. He has been consistently hitting 94 mph with his fastball and has allowed just one run over 8 2/3 innings (1.04 ERA) with seven strikeouts this spring.

“It’s good work, isn’t it?” manager Bruce Bochy said. “Especially here in the Cactus League. I think he’s been sharp with his command, his stuff. You guys see it. I like where his slot is and delivery. He’s really done a nice job of getting back to where he needs to be as far as arm strength.”

Samardzija, 34, acknowledged that it’s been a while since he’s felt this sharp during Spring Training.

“It’s been a long time,” Samardzija said. “I’ve really used Spring Training to get ready, so to come in ready to go and get results from early on in camp, it just feels great. It really gets you excited about the season, instead of having question marks about your outcomes and your outings. You really know what you’re getting out of yourself. The misses are consistent, the pitches that are good are consistent. It’s just really nice to have that to lean on as the season gets going.”

Meanwhile, in Mesa …

The Giants lost to the A’s, 5-4, in their other split-squad game in Mesa on Sunday. Left-hander Andrew Suarez gave up two runs on three hits over four innings in his third appearance of the spring. Catcher Aramis Garcia crushed a long home run off the left-field scoreboard in the sixth inning. Rule 5 Draft pick Travis Bergen also had an impressive relief outing, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings. Bergen, who is competing for a bullpen spot as a third left-hander behind Will Smith and Tony Watson, has not allowed a run through his first 5 2/3 Cactus League innings.

Roster moves

The Giants optioned right-handers Melvin Adon and Jose Lopez following Saturday’s game, leaving 53 players in big league camp. Adon, 24, is likely to start the season at Double-A Richmond and could reach the Majors as a hard-throwing reliever this year.

Up next

Right-hander Chris Stratton will start opposite right-hander Tony Gonsolin when the Giants face the Dodgers on Monday at Camelback Ranch. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. PT.