After the off-day, the 9-7 Reds host our 6-10 Giants, for three:
• Tuesday, 3:40, Robbie Ray (2-1, 2.08) vs. RHP Brady Singer (0-1, 7.71)
• Wednesday, 3:40, Tyler Mahle (0-2, 4.30) vs. RHP Rhett Lowder (1-1, 3.31)
• Thursday, 9:40, Landen Roupp (2-1, 3.24) vs. RHP Chase Burns (1-1, 3.31)
Happily, the video and audio coverage for all is normal.
The second year manager is old hand Terry Francona, whose team (RBI) is
🚩 1B Sal Stewart(10, 4 HR), 2B Matt McLain(3), SS Elly De La Cruz(10, 5 HR), 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (0)
🚩 RF Will Benson (1), CF TJ Friedl (1), LF Spencer Steer (4)
🚩 C Tyler Stephenson (3), DH Eugenio Suarez (8)
🚩 bench C P.J. Higgens, 1B Nathaniel Lowe (5), OF Noelvi Marte Rece Hinds, OF Dane Myers
🚩 rotation: Andrew Abbott, Singer, Lowder, Burns, Brandon Williamson
🚩 closer Emilio Pagan, setups Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcroft
🚩 the rest of the pen includes former Giant Pierce Johnson, on a 1.$6.5M deal
Looking at this made me wonder how they handle an off-day for anyone on the left side of the infield.
The Reds are feeling it this year. They made a stunning 5/$125M to Kyle Schwarber over the winter, but did land Eugenio Suarez for 1/$15M and Emilio Pagan for 2/$20M, as well as Johnson. The also landed starter Caleb Ferguson (1/$4.5M), who is now on the 15-day IL. It should be noted that the 34 year old Suarez is back home, he played in Cincinnati from ’15 to ’21.
One of the Giants best fielding gloves batted DH in Baltimore, perhaps because he’d missed a few games with a wonky back, perhaps because the Giants have four other well paid infielders. At any rate, Casey Schmitt went 7 for 13, with 3 doubles and a homer, scored 4 times, and drove in 4 runs to ice the Picture of the Post award. And why not use one of his two grand slams in two days at The Latrine late last year as the image?
There is a feeling in the air that the Giants are due for some changes, but only a tiny bit of space left here for off-day speculation. That might occur in the bullpen? Sorted by WHIP, here are appearances, innings, and WHIP, clearly dividing the pen into two tiers:
a) Killian (7, 6.0, 0.67), Winn (7,6.1, 0.95), Tidwell, 4, 6.0, 1.00), Gage (L, 8, 7.1, 1.09),
b) Brubaker (7, 8.1, 1.80), Walker (6, 5.0, 2.00), Miller (L, 6, 5.0, 2.00), Borucki (L, 6, 5.1,, 2.06), Butto (3, 2.0, 5.00)
Help may not be far off. Sam Hentges (L) is rehabbing from shoulder and knee operations, and made a rehab start (as opener) for San Jose yesterday: 1 inning, zero hits, walks, or whiffs, ten pitches. Joel Peguerro is recovering from a hamstring pull in spring camp, and has made two appearances with the River Cats: 2 innings, zero hits or walks, three whiffs. Both are already eligible to come off the 15-day IL, it is just a case of getting MLB ready.
No space left here, but talk of the fans certainly includes Victor Bericoto (0.273 with Sacramento), Drew Gilbert (0.289), Bryce Eldridge (0.360), Will Brennan (0.392), and Jesus Rodriguez (0.349)!
Look for changes on April 20th when the Giants get back to San Francisco, unless they crush the rest of the road trip, which ends in Washington DC after Cincinnati.
