This week in SF Giants baseball: A big homestand vs. two NL West rivals
The San Francisco Giants aren’t just hot, but playing well at an opportune time. Amid an 11-4 start to June, they have gone 6-0 against NL West foes and will have seven more opportunities this homestand.
With the best record in the majors since Mother’s Day (22-9), San Francisco will play host to the team with the third-best record in that span: the D-backs, who have played 20-11 ball to maintain a 4.5 game hold on first place. The Giants started the year 1-7 against divisional opponents and will be seeking to avenge a sweep at the hands of the Padres in Mexico City and losing three of four last month in Arizona.
The hottest team in baseball has gone a month without winning a series at home. Really. Since taking two of three from the Marlins over the third weekend in May, the Giants have lost three straight series at Oracle Park (3-6 vs. PIT, BAL, CHC) while going 14-2 on the road, where they have won their past nine. Will that change this week?
The week ahead
When they last met in Mexico City, it seemed like a potential turning point for the Padres, who took home piñatas and luchador masks, not stomach bugs, from their international adventure. The Padres, with an estimated $248.9 million Opening Day payroll, had underwhelmed up until that point. That did not prove to be the case, as San Diego (35-36) is still stuck a game under .500, in fourth place in the NL West. They are playing better of late, with a 7-3 record in their past 10 games and Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. providing the expected punch.
The upstart D-backs haven’t run out of juice yet — the third-youngest group of position players in the NL has the senior circuit’s second-best record — but even their youthful bones will be put to the test this week. They travel to Milwaukee for three games, Monday through Wednesday, then on to Washington, D.C., for a one-off makeup game Thursday. On what was originally scheduled as an off day, the D-backs will instead play a baseball game and make a cross-country flight before beginning their series in San Francisco on Friday.
Probable pitchers
Monday, 6:45 p.m. – RHP Ryan Walker (2-0, 1.23) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (7-2, 2.89)
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
Tuesday 6:45 p.m. – RHP Anthony DeSclafani (4-6, 4.31) vs. TBA
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
Wednesday, 6:45 p.m. – TBA vs. RHP Yu Darvish (5-5, 4.74)
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
Thursday, 12:45 p.m. – LHP Alex Wood (2-1, 4.11) vs. LHP Blake Snell (3-6, 3.48)
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
Friday, 7:15 p.m. – RHP Logan Webb (6-6, 3.11)* vs. RHP Zach Davies (1-3, 7.11)*
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
Saturday, 1:05 p.m. – TBA vs. RHP Merrill Kelly (8-3, 3.04)*
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
Sunday, 1:05 p.m. – RHP Anthony DeSclafani (4-6, 4.31)* vs. RHP Ryne Nelson (3-4, 5.30)
- TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR
*=unofficial
Three storylines to watch
1. Matos mania: The Luis Matos Show is here, and Giants fans will get their first chance to catch a glimpse of the 21-year-old phenom in person this week. Debuting Wednesday in St. Louis as the second-youngest position player in the majors, Matos has already gotten on base nine times (four singles, a double and five walks in 17 plate appearances) and — get this — scored on seven of those occasions, a mark only Willie McCovey reached in the first four games of his career with the club. The Giants can only dream of getting the kind of production from their rookie center fielder that the D-backs have received from 22-year-old Corbin Carroll, who is batting .305 and threatening to secure a 20-20 season by the All-Star break.
2. Bittersweep: The Giants’ recent success has come with a physical toll. They have three healthy starting pitchers and lost one of their most reliable relievers (John Brebbia) to the injured list, maybe one more (Scott Alexander), too. Their highest-priced free-agent addition (Mitch Haniger) has a metal plate and screws in his arm and is out until at least August. But it’s not waiver-wire pickups who are filling in; it’s homegrown talent: Matos, Ryan Walker, Tristan Beck, Keaton Winn, to name a few.
3. What about Kyle Harrison? The 21-year-old lefty and top Giants pitching prospect has a 1.74 over his past five starts at Triple-A Sacramento, and the Giants have two open rotation spots, with Alex Cobb (oblique) hitting the IL. It does not seem likely that Harrison will join the Giants’ youth movement this week, though. Right-hander Sean Hjelle was scratched from his start at Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday and appears to be the more likely candidate if they make a move.
Who’s hot
Last 15 days
SS Brandon Crawford: 12-for-35, .343/.378/.457, 4 2B, 8 R, 7 RBI
RHP Ryan Walker: 6 games (8 IP), 1.13 ERA, 7 H, 1 BB, 9 K
RHP Tristan Beck: 4 games (9 IP), 1.00 ERA, 8 H, 2 BB, 6 K, SV
Who’s not
Last 15 days
IF Casey Schmitt: 6-for-37, .162/.225/.216, 2 2B, 0 BB, 10 K
RHP Anthony DeSclafani: 3 starts (12 IP), 9.00 ERA, 15 H, 8 BB, 11 K
Injury report
IF Casey Schmitt (forearm contusion): X-rays came back negative after Schmitt was hit by a pitch in his right arm Sunday. Eligible: N/A.
IF J.D. Davis (right ankle sprain): After spraining his ankle Wednesday in St. Louis, Davis is nearing full health. He hit a pinch-hit grand slam Saturday but is still somewhat limited defensively and on the base paths. Eligible: N/A.
LHP Scott Alexander (left hamstring): Likely headed for the IL after re-aggravating his strained hamstring Sunday while covering first base. It was Alexander’s first appearance in 10 days, after originally suffering the injury in Colorado. Eligible: N/A.
RHP Ross Stripling (low back strain): Made two rehab starts last week with the rookie-league ACL Giants, with six strikeouts, one walk and three earned runs over six innings. It’s up to Stripling and the Giants to decide to either send him on one more rehab outing at Triple-A Sacramento or activate him to provide some relief for an undermanned rotation. Eligible: Now.
OF Mitch Haniger (forearm fracture): Underwent successful surgery Wednesday in Los Angeles and is expected to miss 10 weeks. Eligible: June 24 (ETA: late August).
IF Wilmer Flores (left foot contusion): Fouled a ball off his foot Friday against the Dodgers, but it wasn’t serious enough to prevent him from homering in the same at-bat before leaving the game. Eligible: June 27.
RHP Alex Cobb (right oblique strain): Threw a full bullpen Saturday and expects to be activated when eligible. Eligible: June 30.
RHP John Brebbia (right lat strain): Could miss a month or more with a Grade 2 strain. Eligible: July 2.
Last week in Giants baseball
- Red-hot SF Giants complete convincing sweep of Dodgers, first in LA in more than a decade
- Big blow to SF Giants’ rotation: Alex Cobb placed on IL with oblique strain
- Always entertaining John Brebbia takes lat injury in stride; who takes his place in SF Giants’ bullpen?
- SF Giants pour it on in 15-0 rout of archrival Dodgers
- MLB’s second-youngest position player, Luis Matos shows poise beyond his years vs. Dodgers
- SF Giants vanquish Dodger Stadium demons with another come-from-behind win
- SF Giants reveal timeline for Mitch Haniger’s return after successful surgery
- SF Giants’ Zaidi expresses support for Pride events as MLB backs down: ‘This is not a political issue’
- What you need to know about SF Giants’ newest rookie Luis Matos
- Where do Thairo Estrada, J.D. Davis, LaMonte Wade Jr. stand in first MLB All-Star voting update?