SCOTTSDALE -- Every pitcher in the Giants organization hopes to pick something up from Justin Verlander this spring, but when new pitching coach J.P. Martinez thinks of Kyle Harrison's future, it's the other veteran in the rotation who stands out as someone for Harrison to follow, and not just because Robbie Ray also is left-handed.
Ray broke into the big leagues in 2014 as a 22-year-old and posted an 8.16 ERA for the Detroit Tigers. A year later, that number was down to 3.52 in Arizona, but Ray's second year with the Diamondbacks was more inconsistent and resulted in a 4.90 ERA. Development is not linear for any pitcher, but it can be especially rocky for young lefties who debut at such a young age.
Martinez has a long list for Harrison to look back at, one that includes the likes of Clayton Kershaw and Blake Snell. When you're trying to prove yourself as a 22-year-old lefty in the big leagues, there are going to be bumps and bruises.
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"If you go back and look at some of the other big-name lefties in the league, go look at their first year in the league and how they did, and I think his numbers stack up with all those guys," Martinez said earlier this spring.
Harrison finished his first full season with a 4.56 ERA, but it really was two different seasons for the best Giants pitching prospect of the last decade. When he allowed one run over 6 1/3 innings to the Houston Astros on June 10, Harrison lowered his ERA to 3.96. It was the seventh time in 14 starts that a pitcher on an innings limit got through at least six innings, and in 13 of those starts, Harrison went at least five. He was living up to the hype, but before his 15th start, he rolled his right ankle in the gym at Oracle Park.
The injury was seemingly minor, but Harrison wasn't quite right when he returned. The Giants skipped a rehab assignment, a decision that some involved later regretted, and put Harrison right back into a rotation that was leaking oil. At that point of the season, Alex Cobb and Ray still were sidelined, Snell was dealing with his own injury, and Jordan Hicks was running out of steam. Harrison came back to give the Giants crucial innings, but compensating for the ankle injury led to shoulder discomfort.
Harrison had a 5.55 ERA the rest of the way. His rookie season, so promising at first, ended up being a learning experience. Aside from the feedback he was getting from hitters every five days, Harrison learned how important it will be in future years to make sure his entire body is in sync.
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In the offseason, he visited Dr. Keith Meister, one of the top orthopedists in the country, and found that there was nothing structurally wrong. Some rehab still was recommended though, and that took up most of Harrison's offseason.
"I found out that it was other areas in my body that were deficient in movement and that was ultimately leading to my shoulder hurting," he said on Monday's "Giants Talk" podcast. "It's crazy to think about. The body is all connected and one thing is off and it'll lead to another thing. Now I understand my body a little more, so I like to say it's a blessing in disguise to go through this and really learn my body and know what I need to unlock it."
That process is ongoing for Harrison, who turned 23 last August. He entered camp as the favorite for the fifth spot in the rotation, but also aware that it would be a competition, with Hayden Birdsong, Landen Roupp and Keaton Winn also getting opportunities. Harrison finished his rehab just before camp started and then got hit with a stomach bug right as everyone was reporting to Scottsdale, which cost him a few pounds and led to him being a few days behind the others when live BP sessions and games started.
His spring debut was a good one, but he was roughed up last week in his second appearance, allowing five runs and averaging 91.2 mph with his four-seamer. That's a number that always will be watched.
The ankle injury and subsequent shoulder discomfort led to diminished velocity in the second half last year, which would be a problem for any pitcher, but especially one who throws his four-seamer 57 percent of the time. The pitch still was effective and held opponents to a .249 average, but Harrison found himself sinking the ball at times late in the season in an effort to make up for the dip in life on his four-seamer. That's not who he is; the four-seamer across the letters is his bread and butter, and a way he always was dominated hitters.
In bullpen sessions this spring, Harrison has worked on keeping his slider in the zone more often. His changeup continues to make strides, and he is working on a cutter to add to the repertoire. The Giants are trying to avoid paying too much attention to the radar gun, and Harrison learned last spring -- when he came in throwing in the mid-nineties -- that velocity in March doesn't mean anything.
It's about having it in April and keeping it for six months, which is a lot easier to do when your body is cooperating. That's the main thing Harrison learned as a rookie.
"I'd say, listen to your body," he said. "Listen to your body, know where you're at, and just trust the process."