Game Wrap 5/14/2026: Dodgers 5 Giants 2

If you are a struggling MLB pitcher, facing the Giants is like finding Salvation.  No matter how bad you've been...... Emmett Sheehan RHP came into this one with a 4.79 ERA and shut down the Giants on 2 hits giving up runs only because of a fluke inside-the-park home run by Jung-Hoo Lee.  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 1 for 3, HR(3), HBP, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .267.  This went down in the 5'th inning:  Drew Gilbert challenged a strike call which was overturned giving him a walk, Eric Haase C popped into a force out, then Lee hit a spinner down the LF line that caromed away from Teoscar Hernandez LF long enough to allow him to circle the bases.  The Giants managed just one other hit in the game.  

Landen Roupp RHP- 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 7 K's, 7/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.49.  You don't have to look any further than this line to see the yawning talent gap between the Giants and Dodgers.  Roupp has been the Giants best pitcher, he pitched well, at least by advanced metrics, and still gave up too many runs to win against an opposing pitcher who came in with a more than 1 run higher.  

So the Giants end up with a split of the 4-game series in LA which is a positive but the way the lineup laid down and died over the last two games is disappointing.  

The Giants come north to Sacramento to play the A's over the weekend with Tyler Mahle RHP getting the start tonight facing Aaron Civale RHP who comes in with a 2.59 ERA.

Down on the Farm: 5/13/2026

 AAA:  Round Rock Express came back to beat the Sacramento River Cats 6-5.

Daniel Susac C- 1 for 4, SB(1).  BA= .529.

Drew Cavanaugh DH- 1 for 3, 2B, SF.  BA= .333.

Jake Holton 1B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .225.

Osleivis Basabe SS- 2 for 4.  BA= .250.

Seth Lonsway LHP- 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 5.96.

Jason Foley RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Susac must be close to ready to be activated off the IL.  Cavanaugh moves up from AA.  Is it a promotion or a fill-in?  Jason Foley begins a rehab assignment.  Expect this one to take the full allotted time as he's been out long time.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels topped the Erie Seawolves 6-5.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 5.  BA= .331.

Parks Harber DH- 3 for 4, 2B, HR(2).  BA= .343.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 1 for 3, HR(3), BB.  BA= .253.

Jonah Cox RF/CF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .417.

Matt Wilkinson LHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 1.35.

Parks Harber is raking the EL.  Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson's first game with the Giants organization is a big success.  

A+:  Eugene Emeralds defeated the Tri-City Dust Devils 4-2.

Trevor Cohen RF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .242.

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .313.

Lisbel Diaz LF- 2 for 4, HR(6).  BA= .245.

Zander Darby 3B- 2 for 4, 3B.  BA= .327.

Tyler Switalski LHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 5 K's, 6/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.45.

Niko Mazza RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's, 6/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.42.

A:  San Jose Giants blanked the Ontario Tower Buzzers 1-0.

Hayden Jatczak 1B- 2 for 4, SB(2).  BA= .275.

Andy Polanco CF- 1 for 3, 2 SB(13).  BA= .270.

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Jordan Gottesman LHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 2.40.

Mauricio Estrella RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.86.

Garrett Langrell RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(6).  ERA= 3.18.

Erik Miller begins a rehab assignment.  Jordan Gottesman's ERA reached a peak of 5.06 on April 16 when I saw him pitch in Ranch Cucamonga.  Since then, 3 of 4 starts have been scoreless and his composite pitching line is 19.1 IP, 15 H, 2 R, 5 BB, 19 K's.  

ACL:  Giants crushed the Dodgers 29-2(7 innings).

Josuar Gonzalez 2B- 3 for 3, 2B, 3 BB, SB(1).  BA= 412.

Luis Hernandez SS- 5 for 5, 3 2B, HR(4), BB.  BA= .406.

Jose Ramos DH- 2 for 4.  BA= .500.

Yohendry Sanchez C- 3 for 5, BB.  BA= .533.

Anthony Marquez 3B- 1 for 4, 2B, 2 BB, HBP, SB(1).  BA= .313.

Evan Estevez 1B- 4 for 5, HR(1), HBP.  BA= .308.

Oliver Tejada RF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .385.

Luis Frias LF- 2 for 4, 2 BB, SB(2).  BA= .300.

Reiver Sanmartin LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Alexander Fuentes RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 3.86.

Chen-Hsun Lee RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.57.

Those two eye-popping lines from Josuar Gonzalez and Luis Hernandez are garnering national attention.  We couls see both in San Jose before the end of the season.  

Game Wrap 5/13/2026: Dodgers 4 Giants 0

 The Giants were shut down by Shohei Ohtani RHP and a baserunning blunder by Willy Adames SS erased their last, best chance to stage a comeback rally.  

Luis Arraez 2B and Rafael Devers 1B had 2 hits each and 4 of the Giants total of 6 hits.  Adames and Matt Chapman 3B led off 7'th with singles.  Drew Gilbert CF sent one into the gap that looked like a double but Andy Pages CF tracked it down and doubled up Adames who was trying to score on what he thought was a double.  Probably didn't affect the outcome of the game but still........

Bryce Eldridge started the game at DH and went 0 for 4 while striking out 3 times including once with runners at first and third and 2 outs.  At the start of the series, Tony Vitello seemed to say Eldridge would be used in limited situations such as pinch-hitting and starting against a tough RHP.  A day later he seemed to reverse course after an uproar from the more vocal segments of the fanbase.  Look, I don't agree with the limited role thing.  Eldridge needs to be batting every day either with the Giants or in AAA.  This team was figuratively on life support when he was called up but circumstances change.  Devers started hitting and Casey Schmitt remains the most consistent hitter on the team.  There isn't room for Devers, Schmitt and Eldridge right now and Eldridge has a very high learning curve ahead of him.  He needs to go down to AAA and play every day there.  There may come a time in the near future where it's worth just putting Eldridge out there to make his strikeouts and learn and several scenarios in which that might happen.  But that time is not now.  All too often over the past several years, Giants management appears to make significant course changes based on fanbase reaction.  Whether the fanbase is right or not is almost beside the point.  A team that allows the fanbase to dictate baseball decisions is a failing team.  

Landen Roupp RHP tries for a series win tonight facing Emmitt Sheehan RHP.

Down on the Farm: 5/12/2026

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats derailed the Round Rock Express 9-2.

Nate Furman 2B-  1 for 2, 2 BB, Sac.  BA= .279.

Daniel Susac C- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .615.

Buddy Kennedy 3B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .328.

Victor Bericoto DH- 1 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .304.

Osleivis Basabe SS- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(3).  BA= .240.

Turner Hill LF- 2 for 4.  BA= .351.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 5.91.

Wilkin Ramos RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.14.

I've always thought Spencer Bivens pitch mix might work better as a SP than RP.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Erie Seawolves 7-1.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .328.

Bo Davidson CF- 2 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .291.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 0 for 2, 2 BB, 2 SB(7).  BA= .250.

Trystan Vrieling RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 3.38.

Will Bednar RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.48.

Ben Peterson RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Ben Peterson gets the promotion from A+ to AA.  Bo Davidson is batting .381/.422/.485 so far in the month of May.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds blew away the Tri-City Dust Devils 17-4.

Dakota Jordan CF- 3 for 6, SB(6).  BA= .296.

Jakob Christian 1B- 2 for 5, HR(2), BB.  BA= .407.

Jancel Villarroel C- 4 for 6, HR(1).   BA= .238.

Carlos Gutierrez LF- 3 for 5, 2B, HR(3), SB(9).  BA= .229.

Walker Martin 3B- 2 for 4, 2 BB, SB(9).  BA= .242.

Zander Darby 2B- 4 for 6, 2B.  BA= .321.

Lisbel Diaz RF- 2 for 5, 2B, BB.  BA= .234.

Liam Simon RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 5.73.

A:  Ontario Tower Buzzers defeated the San Jose Giants 9-2.

Junior Barajas C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .299.

Lorenzo Meola 2B- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB.  BA= .217.

Keyner Martinez RHP- 3 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 5.70.

I attended this game with a couple of friends I have known since childhood.  Not much in the game to write about but we had a great time catching up.  Keyner Martinez registered 99 MPH on the stadium radar gun a couple of times but ran out of gas in the third inning.  Junior Barajas does not have a typical catcher's build but has a sweet looking lefthanded swing.

ACL:  Giants were idle.

Game Wrap 5/12/2026: Giants 6 Dodgers 2

The Giants got a strong start from Adrian Houser and run support from the bottom of the lineup carrying them to their second win in a row over the Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.  What the.....?  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 2 for 5, 2B, 2 RBI.  Lee's 2-out, 2-run double in the 7'th drove in two insurance runs to give the Giants a 6-2 lead.  He has a 5-game hit streak, 10 for 25, after a 2 for 22 start to the month.

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 4, R.  BA= .222.  Adames is 7 for 15 over his last 3 games.

Harrison Bader CF- 1 for 2, HR(2), R, RBI.  BA= .136.  Bader's last HR came on March 31 in San Diego.  Bader and Eric Haase went B2B with solo HR's in the 5'th inning.  

Eric Haase C- 2 for 4, 2 HR(2), 2 R, 2 RBI.  BA= .333.  Once upon a time Haase was one of hte better power-hitting catchers in MLB.  This was a great game for that power to show up again.

Drew Gilbert PH/CF- 1 for 2, R, RBI.  BA= .239.  Gilbert came in as a PH for Bader in the 7'th with runners on first and third, apparently for the express purpose of putting down a squeeze bunt which worked.  Gilbert then came around to score on Lee's double.

Adrian Houser RHP- 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.79.  Houser fell one out short of a Quality Start.  His composite line over his last 2 starts is 11.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 7 K's.  

Caleb Kilian RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 2/0 GO/AO, Save(2).  ERA= 1.40.  Kilian got credit for a Save coming in with a 4-run lead because he entered the game with the bases-loaded and two out in the 8'th inning.  Andy Pages lined out to end that inning then Kilian breezed through the 9'th. 

Robbie Ray LHP tries to clinch a series win tonight against Shohei Ohtani RHP.  

Down on the Farm: 5/11/2026

Full season leagues were idle.

ACL:  Dodgers beat the Giants 9-4.

Josuar Gonzalez 2B- 1 for 3,  2 BB.  BA= .286.

Luis Hernandez SS- 1 for 3, BB, HBP.  BA= .296.

Yulian Barreto 3B- 2 for 5.  BA= .320.

Jean Carlos Sio LF- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .211.

Santiago Camacho C- 1 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .250.

Carlos De La Rosa LHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 5.40.

Jose T Perez RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.00.

I am bullish on Carlos De La Rosa, another prospect who came over from the Yankees in the Camilo Doval trade.

Game Wrap 5/11/2026: Giants 9 Dodgers 3

What was that team that beat the Dodgers last night?  Never heard of them....wait, what?  The Giants kept the pressure on the Dodgers behind another scintillating pitching performance by Trevor McDonald and pulled away in the later innings for an easy win.  Key Lines:

Luis Arraez 2B- 2 for 6, R.  BA= .311.  This was Arraez' 14'th multi-hit game of the season.  He's been held hitless in 9 games.  He's been remarkably steady batting .323 in April and .333 so far in May.  

Casey Schmitt 1B- 2 for 3, BB, HBP, SB(3), 3 R.  BA= .294.  Schmitt has also been remarkably steady batting .269 over his last 7 games, .309 over his last 15 and .307 over his last 30.

Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 3, HR(5), 2 BB, 3 R, 2 RBI.  BA= .240.  Devers got the Giants their first run with a solo HR in the second inning.  He is batting .364 in May after batting just .196 in April.  

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .278.  Speaking of steady, Ramos is batting .310 over his last 7 games, .295 over his last 15 and .304 over his last 30.  

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 5, 3 RBI.  BA= .215.  Adames came up with 2 outs and the bases loaded in the 7'th inning.  I thought to myself, this would be a great time for him to step up and hit a grand slam home run.  Adames did something smarter.  He stayed within himself, went the other way and lined a 2-run single to RF.  He came up with the bases loaded again in the 9'th and singled to left driving in another run.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 5.1 IP, 9 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 4 K's, 9/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.92.  This line falls short of a Quality Start but McDonald got out of a no-out, bases-loaded, a run in jam in the 4'th with a GIDP and K.  Tony Vitello let him go out for the 6'th despite a soaring pitch count.  He allowed a lead off HR to the much-hated Max Muncy, got a ground out but gave up a single to Teoscar Hernandez.  With the pitch count at 101, Vitello brought in Matt Gage who got out of the inning and pitched another scoreless frame in the 7'th. 

Adrian Houser RHP tries to keep the winning going this evening facing Yoshinobu Yamamoto RHP.