SAN FRANCISCO — Bruce Bochy wasted no time throwing Steven Duggar into the fire.
Duggar, 24, was called up from Sacramento on Sunday after the Giants traded outfielder Austin Jackson and relief pitcher Cory Gearrin to the Rangers. And there his name was atop the clubhouse lineup board before his MLB debut, playing center field behind Madison Bumgarner in Sunday’s series finale against the Cardinals.
Duggar had a .272 batting average with four home runs, 21 RBIs and a .354 on-base percentage in 78 AAA games in 2018. The Giants manager said adding Duggar wasn’t necessarily a direct response to the team’s recent offensive struggles – the Giants have scored 10 runs in their last six games – but Bochy hopes adding the youngster to the mix offers a spark as the All-Star break nears.