RHP Hunter Strickland began serving his six-game suspension Monday after his appeal to have the penalty reduced was denied. Strickland drew the suspension for inciting a May 29 brawl by hitting the Nationals' Bryce Harper with a pitch in San Francisco. Harper served a three-game suspension. Strickland has made 30 relief appearances, going 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA and 10 games finished.

RHP Hunter Strickland is still awaiting word after appealing Tuesday to have his six-game suspension reduced. "I don't even check anymore," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's on the roster. He's ready to pitch." Strickland was suspended for hitting Washington's Bryce Harper in the hip with a pitch on May 29, resulting in an incident where Harper charged the mound and exchanged punches with Strickland.

RHP Hunter Strickland awaits appeal for his suspension for his fight with Bryce Harper. Meanwhile, he was shelled for two runs on three hits in an inning of relief in a 5-3 Giants loss in Philadelphia on Saturday night.

RHP Hunter Strickland threw a scoreless eighth inning in Wednesday's loss to the Washington Nationals. He remains eligible to pitch while the appeal on his six-game suspension hasn't been heard by Major League Baseball. Strickland was suspended for intentionally hitting Nationals RF Bryce Harper with a pitch in Monday's series opener.

Major League Baseball plans to reduce Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper's suspension for Monday's bench-clearing brawl from four games to three games, according to multiple reports Wednesday.Harper originally received a four-game ban on Tuesday for his role in a fight with San Francisco Giants reliever Hunter Strickland.Harper will start serving his three-game suspension as the Nationals face the Giants on Wednesday night, a source told ESPN.Strickland was suspended six games for his role, apparently holding a grudge after Harper hit two home runs against him in the 2014 National League Division Series.The right-hander hit Harper on the right hip with a 95-mph fastball in the eighth inning of the Nationals' 3-0 win. Strickland also filed an appeal.Harper charged the mound and threw his helmet, which appeared to slip out of his hand and come nowhere close to Strickland, but they both landed punches before being engulfed by teammates in a melee at the center of the infield.The 24-year-old... [More]

RHP Hunter Strickland, who is appealing his six-game suspension for his role in the brawl that interrupted Monday's game against the Washington Nationals, did not see any action in Tuesday's game.

RHP Hunter Strickland was suspended six games on Tuesday for his part in a bench-clearing brawl the day before at AT&T Park in San Francisco. He will appeal. Strickland, apparently holding a grudge after Washington Nationals OF Bryce Harper hit two home runs against him in the 2014 National League Division Series, hit Harper on the right hip with a 95 mph fastball in the eighth inning on Monday.

Baseball veered into the Theater of the Absurd this week and from start to finish the performance was head-shaking unexplainable.It started with San Francisco reliever Hunter Strickland drilling Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper in the hip with a 98 mph fastball Monday. Harper's response was to incite a bench-clearing brawl. And on Tuesday, Major League Baseball handed down suspensions that can be debated for the justice they were supposed to bring.Strickland was suspended for six games and Harper for four. The Strickland penalty should have been twice what it was.So soup-to-nuts, there was bad form all around.Start with the incident. Baseball has unwritten rules, often polices itself and sometimes that means pitchers plunking hitters. That's no secret. Strickland's decision to go after Harper like a thug was based on the right-hander feeling "shown up" by the outfielder in the 2014 National League Division Series. Harper hit a long home run off Strickland in Game 1 and put a Strickland... [More]

RHP Hunter Strickland was ejected from Monday's loss to the Washington after being involved in a fight with Nationals RF Bryce Harper. Facing Harper for the first time since allowing two home runs to the slugger in the 2014 National League Division Series, Strickland nailed the Nationals star in the right hip with a 95-mph fastball. Harper charged the mound, and both players landed shots to the head before teammates arrived at the mound to separate them. The ejection was the first of Strickland's career.

RHP Hunter Strickland returned to the Giants' active roster Monday after he was placed on the paternity list Friday. Strickland left the team to attend the birth of his daughter, Kinsey Rae. He was not summoned from the bullpen in a 4-1 win over Arizona on Monday.

RHP Hunter Strickland is scheduled to rejoin the Giants for Monday's home opener after being away from the team on paternity leave. His daughter, Kinsey, was born Sunday.

RHP Hunter Strickland was put on paternity list and will miss the three-game series against the Padres. Strickland hasn't allowed a run in three appearances over three innings, one of the few bright spots coming out of the bullpen.

RHP Hunter Strickland is expected to miss the San Diego series while on paternity leave, manager Bruce Bochy said. He is expected to be replaced on the roster by LHP Steven Okert. Strickland appeared in three games against Arizona and recorded three strikeouts in three scoreless innings.

RHP Hunter Strickland throws the ball hard, which has prompted many Giants fans in recent years to call for a bigger role. The times manager Bruce Bochy has obliged, the 28-year-old has regularly sent his fans bleacher souvenirs courtesy of opponents' bats. Now with back-enders RHP Santiago Casilla and RHP Sergio Romo gone, Bochy has fewer options for the eighth inning. It's Strickland's time to shine, even if the fans aren't calling for him anymore.

RHP Hunter Strickland came in to replace LHP Javier Lopez with no outs in the ninth inning and promptly gave up an RBI single to 3B Justin Turner, tying the score at 1 in the ninth inning against the Dodgers. Dodgers 1B Adrian Gonzalez then delivered his game-winner.

Strickland tossed two shutout innings while striking out three in Thursday's win over the Nationals.

Strickland needed just 18 pitches to get through two innings Thursday. After proving to be extremely homer-prone in last year's playoffs (six homers in 8.1 innings), he has limited the long balls (0.26 HR/9) in 2015. His 1.57 ERA ranks second among Giant relievers with at least 30 innings pitched. Current closer Santiago Casilla converted the save Thursday, but has had an up-and-down season. Should Casilla continue to falter, Strickland would definitely be a candidate to move into the closer's role, given his high velocity (96.6 MPH average fastball) and ability to miss bats (10.49 K/9). That is all speculation at this point, until then, continue to view Strickland as a solid middle relief option who can net fantasy owners strikeouts and a handful of holds.

With Sergio Romo (illness) unavailable to pitch Sunday, Strickland tossed a clean inning in the eighth against the Braves.

Since his call up May 24, Strickland has tossed 7.1 scoreless innings. His use in the eighth inning shows the confidence manager Bruce Bochy has in the 26-year-old flamethrower. What's more impressive is his new-found ability to limit his homers (zero) and walks (zero), which were glaring flaws in the Giants' 2014 postseason run when he surrendered six homers and two walks in 8.1 innings.

Strickland was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday.

Strickland has been on quite the roller coaster ride over the past 24 hours, as he was recalled to be the 26th man for Saturday's doubleheader, but demoted immediately following the contest. However, due to Sunday's DFA of third baseman Casey McGehee, Strickland will return to the Giants' bullpen, and should see a middle relief role moving forward.

Strickland threw two shutout innings in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Rockies, striking out three.

Strickland demonstrated better command of his offspeed pitches than he did last year in the playoffs. His Triple-A numbers, particularly his 25:3 K:BB in 21.2 innings, also demonstrate that prowess. We'll likely see him back with the Giants soon.

Strickland was recalled Saturday to be the 26th man for Saturday's doubleheader.

The hard-throwing righty will offer bullpen depth for Saturday's games and will then be sent back to Triple-A.