Fantasy News

• Giants' Ryan Walker: Opening Wednesday's game

  Rotowire Apr 24, 2024

  Walker will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Mets, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. The Giants will opt for an impromptu bullpen day in the series finale with the Mets after Blake Snell (adductor) was scratched from his scheduled start and placed on the 15-day injured list. New acquisition Mitch White would seem to be a candidate to eat some innings as a bulk reliever Wednesday once Walker exits the contest.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Handed loss Tuesday

  Rotowire Apr 17, 2024

  Walker (1-2) allowed three runs on two hits and two walks over two-thirds of an inning to take the loss versus the Marlins on Tuesday. Walker got into trouble in the sixth inning and was unable to complete the frame. Taylor Rogers got the last out, but the Giants didn't recover from the damage. Walker had allowed just two runs over his first 9.1 innings of the season before Tuesday's sloppy outing. He's at a 4.50 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 10:3 K:BB through 10 innings while adding one hold over 10 appearances. Walker is a bit buried on the leverage ladder, so it's unlikely he'll be able to consistently rack up saves or holds.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Steady in spring

  Rotowire Mar 5, 2024

  Walker has allowed a hit and hit one batsman over two scoreless innings in Cactus League play. Walker has not walked or struck out a batter. He was a bit of a fireman in 2023, serving as an opener 13 times in 49 appearances while pitching to a 3.23 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 78:24 K:BB over 61.1 innings. That gives him strikeout upside, but the change in managers from Gabe Kapler to Bob Melvin could mean a more steady low-leverage relief role for Walker. The Giants look set in the late innings, headlined by closer Camilo Doval, so Walker shouldn't be counted on for many saves or holds in 2024.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Another opener start Sunday

  Rotowire Sep 24, 2023

  Walker will be the opening pitcher Sunday against the Dodgers, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. This will be the 13th opener assignment of the year for Walker, who has posted a 3.20 ERA and 71:22 K:BB across 56.1 total innings for San Francisco. Alex Wood looks poised to follow him Sunday as the Giants' bulk pitcher.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Takes third loss

  Rotowire Sep 17, 2023

  Walker (4-3) allowed three runs on two hits and three walks while striking out two over two-thirds of an inning to take the loss in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader versus the Rockies. Walker worked in the fifth inning, but he made a mess of things, and the Rockies led the rest of the way. He hadn't given up multiple runs in an appearance since July 24, though he's typically worked short assignments lately when coming out of the bullpen. The right-hander has maintained a 2.59 ERA this year despite a 1.37 WHIP, and he's added a 69:21 K:BB with a save and two holds over 55.2 innings.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Will work as opener Saturday

  Rotowire Aug 26, 2023

  Walker will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher for Saturday's game versus Atlanta, Danny Emerman of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. It's a familiar assignment for Walker, as he'll work as the opener for the 11th time this season. Based on recent usage, Sean Manaea would seem to be the top candidate to work in bulk relief Saturday.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Grabs first save

  Rotowire Aug 23, 2023

  Walker picked up the save Wednesday against Philadelphia, pitching a third of an inning in an 8-6 victory. Facing Trea Turner as the potential tying run in the 10th inning, Walker was able to coax a flyout to earn the first save of his major-league career. While he seems unlikely to get regular save chances going forward, Walker's been reliable of late, allowing just one earned run over his last 11 appearances (15.2 innings). The 27-year-old right-hander now sports an impressive 2.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 53:13 K:BB across 46.1 innings this season.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Opening Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 9, 2023

  Walker will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Angels, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Walker will be making his eighth start of the season Wednesday. While he hasn't pitched more than three innings in any of his appearances in 2023, Walker has been effective with a 2.52 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 41:11 K:BB through 39.1 frames. Based on their recent usage, Tristan Beck and Sean Manaea represent the likeliest candidates to cover multiple innings behind Walker on Wednesday.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Spares bullpen Tuesday

  Rotowire Aug 2, 2023

  Walker (4-0) allowed two hits over 2.1 scoreless innings to earn the win Tuesday over the Diamondbacks. He did not strike out or walk a batter. After three straight bullpen games, including one in which Walker was the opener (Saturday), he was able to spare his fellow relievers with a strong outing. He's given up just two runs over his last 15.1 innings while posting a 14:1 K:BB in that span. Walker is at a 2.35 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 41:9 K:BB through 38.1 innings over 26 appearances (seven starts) this season. He'll likely continue to be an option to open bullpen games going forward, which drastically limits his ability to collect wins.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Opening again Saturday

  Rotowire Jul 29, 2023

  Walker will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher for Saturday's game against the Red Sox, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. This will be Walker's second turn as an opener this week and seventh this season. He's pitched to an impressive 2.70 ERA so far this season, but Walker will likely go no more than three innings before turning things over to Anthony DeSclafani.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Serving as opener Wednesday

  Rotowire Jul 26, 2023

  Walker will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher in Wednesday's game versus the Athletics, Danny Emerman of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. It's Alex Wood's turn in the rotation, but the lefty looks set to serve as a bulk reliever. Walker will be working as an opener for the sixth time this season after allowing four earned runs in 6.2 innings across the previous five outings.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Strikes out two, gives up homer

  Rotowire Jun 25, 2023

  Walker did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over one inning against Arizona. He struck out two. Walker opened the game for San Francisco and surrendered a solo home run to Ketel Marte in the second at-bat of the contest after leaving a slider over the middle of the plate. The right-hander struck out two in the frame, but also allowed a double to Christian Walker followed by a walk to Lourdes Gurriel before he was eventually able to get out of the inning. Walker has now allowed a solo home run in two of his last three appearances. He is, however, still holding a strong 1.96 ERA after Saturday's outing.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Serving as opener Saturday

  Rotowire Jun 24, 2023

  Walker will serve as the opening pitcher in Saturday's game versus the Diamondbacks, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Walker allowed two walks and struck out one in a scoreless inning versus the Padres on Wednesday in his last turn as an opener. He'll again pitch just an inning or two before giving way to a bulk reliever, most likely Keaton Winn or Tristan Beck.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Opening again Wednesday

  Rotowire Jun 21, 2023

  Walker will serve as the Giants' opening pitcher in Wednesday's game against the Padres, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. With John Brebbia (lat) recently landing on the injured list, Walker has seemingly stepped in for him as manager Gabe Kapler's preferred opening pitcher. After starting in Monday's 7-4 win and covering 1.2 innings, Walker will handle opener duties for the second time in the series with the Padres. Based on the recent workloads of the Giants' other bullpen arms, Sean Manaea or Sean Hjelle look like the top candidates to serve as a bulk relievers behind Walker.

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• Giants' Ryan Walker: Snags second win

  Rotowire Jun 7, 2023

  Walker (2-0) struck out two in a perfect inning to earn the win Tuesday over the Rockies. Walker pitched the second inning ahead of Sean Manaea's bulk-relief outing after John Brebbia opened the game. This was Walker's sixth scoreless appearance in seven outings, and he's allowed zero baserunners four times. The right-hander has a 1.04 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 10:1 K:BB through his first 8.2 big-league innings. The Giants currently have a rather crowded bullpen while only three starters are healthy, but Walker's pitching well enough to keep his low-leverage spot for a while.

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