Kontos will be used in later innings against lefty-heavy portions of opponents' lineups, CSN Bay Area reports.
Manager Bruce Bochy said that the veteran pitcher will be used in the seventh inning of games, a larger role than he has assumed for the Giants in the past. The right-hander has fairly even career splits against both righties and lefties, making him an unconventional option to replace the injured Will Smith (elbow) as the club's "left-handed" setup man. Kontos excelled in his first test, setting down David Peralta, Paul Goldschmidt and Jake Lamb in a clean inning Tuesday. The increased role should result in a slight uptick in hold opportunities.