SAN FRANCISCO — Since undergoing surgery on the last day of October, Alex Cobb has had a date in his mind of when he wanted to be back pitching for the San Francisco Giants. Now, he has one that team trainers can agree upon, and to which the ambitious, seemingly age-defying 36-year-old must abide, too.
Transferred to the 60-day injured list Saturday, the earliest Cobb will be eligible to join the Giants’ rotation is May 27.
“Now that they’ve got a date, they’re going to map it out neatly,” said Cobb, who did everything in his power over the offseason to put him well ahead of schedule in his recovery from hip surgery, accelerating his timeline by two months or more and pitching simulated games by the end of spring training.
“It’s like, you’re not allowed to come back. … There’s always, like, this ‘one day earlier, one day earlier’ mindset. And now you can’t.”
Cobb was initially told it would be six months before he even resumed throwing, potentially until the All-Star break before he was game-ready.
“I definitely worked really hard in the offseason to try to be back by now and it didn’t work out, so there’s some disappointment,” Cobb said. “(But) I had surgery on October 31. If on November 1 you told me I would be on this path I would be very happy. I think the overall perspective is still a very positive one.”
After experiencing his first setback, suffering a flexor strain that shut him down for two weeks, Cobb understood there was a possibility the Giants could find a more valuable use for his spot on the 40-man roster. When his shoulder kept tightening up on him when he resumed throwing, that increased the odds of being transferred to the 60. And when Mitch White became available, the Giants pounced to add the 29-year-old righty at the cost of Cobb’s efforts to race back.
Cobb said the move was a “no-brainer,” and manager Bob Melvin acknowledged the right-hander’s “slowdown” — “I don’t want to say setback,” he said — “made it easier” to come to terms with ruling out Cobb until after Memorial Day. It is “probably realistic” to expect Cobb back on May 27, the date he is eligible, Melvin said.
The emergence of a true, five-man rotation in Cobb’s absence also makes it easier to take it slow with the veteran righty.
The biggest question mark entering the season — how Jordan Hicks would handle his transition to the rotation — has turned into their best pitcher, and now they’re just waiting for last year’s National League Cy Young winner, Blake Snell, to round into form.
White, a product of Bellarmine Prep and Santa Clara University, has started 22 of the 62 appearances he’s made in the major leagues and provides another option should a need arise in the rotation but will slot into the bullpen once he arrives.
Although the trade was made official Saturday afternoon — the Giants sent cash considerations to Toronto — White had not yet reported to the team before first pitch Sunday.
