Who is "Tugboat" Wilkinson? Giants call up pitcher with fun nickname

On Monday, Aug. 17, the San Francisco Giants called up left-handed pitcher Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson from the minors, placing him on the roster ahead of a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians. The move comes after the Giants traded veteran catcher Patrick Bailey to Cleveland in May. Wilkinson is a former 10th-round pick from Central Arizona College and is 23. In Double-A this year, he logged 43.1 innings with a 1.87 ERA and 10.2 strikeouts per nine. At Triple-A Sacramento, his 5.15 ERA came with 8.9 strikeouts per nine and seven home runs allowed over 43.2 innings. The nickname “Tugboat” was earned for his pace running bases.