LOS ANGELES -- The scene that unfolded Sunday at Dodger Stadium was one of the strangest in the long history of the Giants.
Sean Hjelle started warming up during the national anthem, as scheduled starter Kyle Harrison was being told he was headed to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster deal that will make Rafael Devers a Giant for the rest of the decade. Hjelle was relieved in the fourth by Joey Lucchesi, who had not been officially announced as part of the roster.
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SIGN UP HERE When the trade finally was announced, Andy Pages homered seconds later to put the Dodgers on top. It was chaotic, and in the end, the Giants fell short 5-4 in a game that they kinda punted by trading their starter minutes before first pitch.
The Giants (41-31) dropped the series and will head back home two games back in the NL West, but the next time they take the field, they'll have Devers.
Here are three takeaways from a strange night at Dodger Stadium:
Stepping In Admirably
San Francisco Giants
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Harrison was hoping to pitch well enough that the Giants would keep him in the rotation next week when Justin Verlander returns. Instead, he was sent back to the clubhouse after heading out to the bullpen early in the afternoon. By the end of the day, he had been optioned to Triple-A Worcester by the Red Sox.
Hjelle stretched as the anthem was performed and then made his first big league start under unusual circumstances. Just about everyone at Dodger Stadium was surprised when he was the one to take the mound, and the Giants desperately needed length after Spencer Bivens and Tristan Beck soaked up most of Saturday's blowout.
Hjelle gave them exactly what was required, throwing 54 pitches in 3 2/3 innings and leaving with a 3-2 lead. He was rushed into duty and might have kept Bob Melvin from having to use his entire tired bullpen on the final day of a six-game trip.
Hello, Joey
The Devers deal came together so quickly that the Giants did not have time to announce Lucchesi as a member of their roster before the game. In the third inning, the scoreboard at Dodger Stadium did it, with a graphic showing that he was warming up.
Lucchesi was in camp with the Giants but has spent all year at Triple-A. He made it down from Tacoma, Washington to provide an extra arm for the bullpen, taking Harrison's roster spot. Lucchesi was charged with two earned runs after he put a couple on in the fifth and Ryan Walker gave up a three-run blast.
So, About Third Base
Matt Chapman is out another three to four weeks, but the Giants had been in good hands there even before dealing for Devers, a long-time third baseman. Casey Schmitt has three homers on the trip, but he was removed early in Sunday's game after fouling a ball off his left foot for the second time during this series.
Schmitt was already wearing a wrap on his left foot and he was in considerable pain as he went down in the box. The Giants announced that he has a left ankle contusion.
Devers, who will join the team Tuesday, hasn't played third base all year. The Red Sox signed Alex Bregman in the offseason, angering their incumbent, who has been a DH in every appearance this season.