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SF Giants recall RHP Sean Hjelle, place OF Bryce Johnson on IL

The SF Giants recalled right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle from Triple-A, placing outfielder Bryce Johnson on the concussion injured list.

Marc Delucchi

SF Giants recall RHP Sean Hjelle, place OF Bryce Johnson on IL
SF Giants recall RHP Sean Hjelle, place OF Bryce Johnson on IL /
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The SF Giants recalled right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle (Giants #28 prospect) from Triple-A and placed outfielder Bryce Johnson on the seven-day concussion injured list prior to the team's series against the Tigers. Johnson's injured-list stint is retroactive to April 13th, which would allow him to be activated as soon as April 20th if he clears the league's concussion protocol.

SF Giants pitcher Sean Hjelle throws a pitch. (2022)
SF Giants pitcher Sean Hjelle throws a pitch. (2022) / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Hjelle made the Giants' Opening Day roster after a standout spring training. Across six appearances during the preseason, Hjelle recorded a 1.59 ERA with 22 strikeouts and three walks in 17 innings pitched (six appearances). Hjelle's performance in the regular season has been a bit rockier, posting a 9.00 ERA in three outings, racking up 10 strikeouts and four walks in six innings pitched.

A former second-round pick, Hjelle made his MLB debut with the Giants last May, a day before his 25th birthday. While his big-league career got off to a rocky start, he looked impressive in September, recording at least four innings pitched without allowing more than two runs in three of his four outings. Still, he finished the season with a 5.76 ERA in 25 MLB innings. At Triple-A, Hjelle recorded a 4.92 ERA in 97 innings pitched (22 starts) A with 80 strikeouts and 38 walks last season.

Johnson suffered a concussion in the Giants' 10-5 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night when he slammed into the center-field wall making an incredible catch. Johnson was a snub from the Giants Opening Day roster but was promoted the following day. Prior to the injury, Johnson posted a .150/.150/.300 triple-slash in 20 plate appearances (10 games).

Developed as a starting pitcher, Sean Hjelle will give SF Giants manager Gabe Kapler some added flexibility out of the bullpen. By not replacing Bryce Johnson with an outfielder, Giants outfielders Michael Conforto and Heliot Ramos (Giants #17 prospect) are the alternative options in center field behind Mike Yastrzemski.

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Marc Delucchi
MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).

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