Bochy picks rookie Blach (over Cain and Peavy) to start Sunday
Bochy picks rookie Blach (over Cain and Peavy) to start Sunday
SAN DIEGO - The rookie it is.
Manager Bruce Bochy said that Ty Blach would start in place of injured Johnny Cueto against the Padres on Sunday unless he were needed in relief Saturday night.
Blach got the nod over Matt Cain and Jake Peavy, who started the year in the rotation.
Blach got more starts and consistent innings in Triple-A, every fifth day.
Blach, who turns 26 in October, has not allowed a run in two three-inning relief appearances, at Coors Field and Dodger Stadium.
Blach repeated Triple-A and had fallen in the Giants' prospect rankings, but he surged in 2016 as he gained more experienced and added a different curveball to go with his changeup.
Dwight Bernard, Sacramento's pitching coach, said he believes Blach's willingness to listen and change fueled his improvement as well.
"When a kid is as receptive as he is, with the stuff and the confidence he has in the stuff, he's got a chance to be successful," Bernard said.
Blach will be the first left-handed rookie to start for the Giants since Mike Kickham in 2013.
Bochy would not guess if Cueto might be healthy enough to rejoin the rotation at home against the Rockies on Tuesday.
Brandon Crawford said he still hopes to return from his dislocated pinky Sunday.
Crawford hit off a tee Friday and said he felt less pain than he expected, but playing catch felt worse than he expected.
Crawford was injured Tuesday night.
Two years ago, Joe Panik returned sooner after a similar injury.
Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
Email: hschulman@sfchronicle.com.
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Henry Schulman