'Forever grateful' Bivens notches first MLB win in long-awaited debut

SAN FRANCISCO -- The news felt so improbable, so unexpectedly thrilling that Spencer Bivens still thought he was dreaming when he reported to the Giants’ clubhouse on Sunday morning.

“Just waiting to wake up, really,” Bivens said. “This is unbelievable. I didn’t expect it. The way it happened, I didn’t expect it. I’m blessed to be here and super thankful. The Giants took a chance on me, and whether it’s a day, whether it’s a week or whether it’s however long, I’m just forever grateful.”

Less than two weeks before his 30th birthday, Bivens made his long-awaited Major League debut in the Giants’ 13-6 win against the Angels on Sunday afternoon at Oracle Park, tossing three innings of one-run ball to earn the win in a last-minute bullpen game for San Francisco.

Kyle Harrison had been slated to start for the Giants, but the rookie left-hander was scratched after landing on the 15-day injured list with a right ankle sprain he suffered while doing his weight room routine on Saturday. The injury created an opening for the Giants to call up Bivens, a right-handed reliever who began his professional career in France and pitched in the independent leagues before signing with San Francisco as an undrafted free agent in May 2022.

“There are great stories, and you always feel good about someone making their Major League debut, but if you know the travails and everything that he’s been through, this is a real special one,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It really gives you goosebumps.”

Bivens replaced opener Erik Miller in the second inning and got Zach Neto to swing through a 95.6 mph sinker for his first career strikeout, though he hung another first-pitch heater to Nolan Schanuel, who drove it out to straightaway center field for a solo home run.

“It was really high and then really low really quick,” Bivens said. “But you have to just not let it overwhelm you. Solo home runs don’t usually beat you. I’m just happy to be able to stay composed and get after it.”

Still, that ended up being the lone blemish for Bivens, who retired the final eight batters he faced, and likely would have gotten a chance to come back out for another inning had the Giants not erupted for nine runs in a lengthy bottom of the fourth. Thairo Estrada tied the game with a bases-loaded, two-run double before Brett Wisely put the Giants ahead for good with another two-run double to center off Angels left-hander José Suarez.

Jorge Soler followed with the biggest blow, hammering a three-run blast to left for his eighth home run of the year and his first at Oracle Park since April 27.

Soler entered Sunday with a dismal .444 OPS with runners in scoring position this year, prompting the Angels to intentionally walk Matt Chapman to face him with the bases loaded on Saturday, but Soler finished 2-for-4 with season-high four RBIs and boosted his slash line to .313/.400/.500 with three doubles and two homers over 13 games this month.

“He’s done it his whole career,” Melvin said. “It’s just been a little bit of a struggle for him here to this point, but that’s who he is.”

The nine runs were the most the Giants have scored in a single inning since May 20, 2021, in San Francisco's 19-4 win at Cincinnati, and helped the club avoid being swept at home before a sellout crowd on Father’s Day.

Bivens recorded a 2.81 ERA over 21 appearances at Triple-A Sacramento this year and earned Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Month honors for May, but he was still stunned when River Cats manager Dave Brundage told him he was coming up to the Majors on Saturday.

“He called down mid-game, roughly the seventh inning, right around the time I would be getting loose,” Bivens said. “We were winning, 6-4, and I knew something was kind of weird. He was like, ‘Hey man, I hope you feel good because you’re going to the big leagues.’ I can’t even come up with words.”

Bivens quickly jumped in a rental car and made the three-and-a-half hour drive from Reno, arriving in San Francisco around 3 a.m. on Sunday. He passed the time by making a few phone calls, including one to his mom, Caran Aikens, who was among the 41,008 fans at Oracle Park after scrambling to catch a flight from Virginia on Sunday morning.

“He’s worked so hard for this,” Aikens said. “I knew it was going to happen this season. He’s just done so well. This is what he’s set his sights on. I’m really, really proud of him.

“There were some people who didn’t think he had it. I hope they realize where he is now.”