Back in May, the Giants hosted the Pirates in San Francisco, winning the series 2-1. That was a long time ago! As the regular season enters its final month, the 57-81 Giants, who have finally created some space between themselves and the Rockies, are in Pittsburgh to face the 4th place 67-71 Pirates. Three games, the first a dandy, plus it is “pup night” at Three Rivers Stadium:
• Tuesday, 3:40, Logan Webb (8-8, 3.72) vs. RHP Paul Skenes (9-11, 3.79)
• Wednesday, 3:40, Landen Roupp (8-13, 4.25) vs. RHP Jared Jones (2-6, 4.83)
• Thursday, 9:35 👀, Blade Tidwell (0-1, 4.54) vs. TBD (perhaps Carmen Mlodzinski, 7-6, 4.05)
Pup Night is apparently every Tuesday in the Rooftop seating section. Baseball Reference lists Bubba Chandler as the man right after Skenes. However, the MLB schedule shows Jones going, which may be fortunate. MLB has a story up about Chandler’s August,
The flamethrower produced a 3.08 ERA in five starts against some of baseball’s top offenses, including the Dodgers, Brewers and Red Sox. Chandler’s season has turned around since the All-Star break, with a 2.95 ERA in seven starts compared with a 4.77 ERA in 19 starts beforehand.
Let’s review the current Bucs roster, who did not bring their legend Andrew McCutchen back this season,
🏴☠️ 1B Spencer Horwitz (38), 2B Brandon Lowe (82, 28 HR), SS Jacob Gonzalez (12), 3B Nick Gonzales (57)
🏴☠️ RF Esmerlyn Valdez (44), CF Oneil Cruz (52), LF Jake Mangum (28)
🏴☠️ C Rafael Flores (17), DH Bryan Reynolds (66)
🏴☠️ bench C Henry Davis, IF Jared Triolo, IF/OF Nick Yorke, OF/1B Billy Cook
🏴☠️ rotation is Skenes, Bubba Chandler (6-9, 4.26), Jones, Mlodzinski, Braxton Ashcraft (14-5, 3.59)
🏴☠️ closer Mason Montgomery, late innings Luke Weaver and Gregory Soto, Camilo Doval is in the pen
Old friend Joey Bart was traded to the Braves back in June, and is now a White Sock. Ryan O’Hearn has been out for a month with a quad strain, he is still 2nd on the team with 69 RBI.
The Pirates picked up 5 pitchers at the deadline (Doval, Luke Weaver, Kirby Yates, Lake Bachar, and Andrew Moore) at the deadline, in 5 separate deals. The first 4 are in their pen, the latter at AA.
The Giants swept a series in Atlanta, awesome. Good play all around, especially Jonah Cox, who got RBI from the clean up slot on both a bunt and a homer. Rafi Devers hit #30, and Turner Hill had a massive PH AB. All good stuff, but Reiver Sanmartin got all five batters he faced out, two by strikeout. Just 16 pitches, with 13 of them being strikes – that’s how to pitch in relief. His appearance was a calming influence upon the late innings, so let’s learn more about him. He is from Columbia, and pulled a hamstring while pitching for his country in the WBC. Sanmartin may just now be getting back on track? 16 appearances, for 16⅓ innings, 16 hits and 4 walks, so has lowered his WHIP to 1.22. He now has 100 total MLB innings, after pitching parts of the last four seasons with the Reds. The Reds released him last November, at Rule 5 time, and the Giants put in a waiver claim. He is 30 years old, 6’1”, and the only active left handed reliever with the team (if you count Tugboat as a starter). A few more outings like the one in Atlanta will see the Giants bringing Sanmartin back, as he isn’t arb eligible until 2028. A very cool personal name, which is always bonus points when the Picture of the Post department starts tossing around names. But 5 outs in 16 pitches, for a no drama relief appearance for fans constantly shell shocked by the pen is an even bigger claim on the honor than a cool name.
