Down on the Farm: 5/15/2026

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Round Rock Express 8-4.

Osleivis Basabe 2B- 2 for 3, 2 2B, 2 BB, SB(4).  BA= .262.

Grant McCray RF- 3 for 5, SB(6).  BA= .209.

Logan Porter C- 2 for 4, SF.  BA= .209.

Aeverson Arteaga SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .500.

John Bertrand LHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.25.

Michael Fulmer RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.38.

Wilkin Ramos RHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.45.

AA:  Erie Seawolves outscored the Richmond Flying Squirrels 8-6.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 5.  BA= .324.

Maui Ahuna DH- 2 for 4, 3B.  BA= .232.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .256.

Ty Hanchey RF- 3 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .571.

Ben Peterson RHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Tyler Vogel RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 2.40.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds topped the Tri-Cities Dust Devils 5-4.

Trevor Cohen RF- 2 for 4, BB, SB(14).  BA= .250.

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .301.

Jean Carlos Sio 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .417.

Yunior Marte RHP- 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 2.73.

Hunter Dryden RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 2.73.

A:  San Jose Giants defeated the Ontario Tower Buzzers 12-7.

Jhonny Level DH- 1 for 3, 2 HBP, SF.  BA= .324.

Cam Maldonado CF- 3 for 5, SB(12).  BA= .294.

Hayden Jatczak 1B- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .279.

Jose Astudillo PR/LF- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .333.

Dario Reynoso 3B- 2 for 5, SB(4).  BA= .301.

Broedy Poppell RF- 2 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .247.

Braydon Risley LHP- 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K.  ERA= 2.60.

ACL:  Giants beat the Reds 9-4.

Josuar Gonzalez 2B- 1 for 4, BB, Sac, SB(2).  BA= .440.

Jose Ramos LF- 1 for 3, 2 BB, SB(1).  BA= 429.

Yulian Barreto DH- 1 for 2, 2 SB(4).  BA= .355.

Yohendry Sanchez 2 for 3, 2 BB, SB(1).  BA= .529.

Luis Frias CF- 1 for 3, 2 BB, SB(4).  BA= .346.

Melvin Pineda RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= .415.

Marlon Franco RHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, Save(1).  ERA= 3.38.

Another reminder that with all the excitement around Jhonny Level, Josuar Gonzalez and Luis Hernandez, don't sleep on Yohendry Sanchez who got the Giants highest bonus from the 2024 international signing cycle.

Game Wrap: A's 5 Giants 2

The Giants did some good things in this game:  Luis Arraez 2B went 4 for 5, they hit two home runs, Tyler Mahle RHP took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 5'th inning.  Unfortunately, they did not do enough good things:  They went 0 for 7 with RISP and left 10 runners on base, Mahle fell apart in the 5'th inning including allowing a 3-run HR to Nick Kurtz, Matt Chapman went 0 for 5 with 2 K's batting third in the order.  The end result was another loss, their 3'rd in a row after a 3-win run to begin the week.  On top of that, one of their steadier hitters, Heliot Ramos LF came out of the game what was described as quad tightness.  

What do you do with a team that repeatedly completely spins out as soon as it looks like they might be finding traction?  We are nearing the end of the 7'th week of the season.  in one more week we will be almost 1/3 of the way through the season.  And what do you do when the core of the team that is locked into expensive contracts for many years is not just not playing up to their expectations, they are not producing ANYTHING!?

It's time for Greg Johnson, Buster Posey, Zach Minasian and Tony Vitello to sit down and ask themselves some very hard questions about how they got here and how they might dig themselves out of this....ahem....giant hole they find themselves in.  And please do not say ownership needs to spend more.  Spending more on this team is throwing good money after bad, simple as that.

Down on the Farm: 5/14/2026

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats stopped the Round Rock Express 12-1.

Buddy Kennedy DH- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SB(3).  BA= .328.

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .303.

Grant McCray CF- 1 for 3, BB, SF, SB(5).  BA= .194.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 2 for 5, 2B, SB(1).  BA= .375.

Aeverson Arteaga SS- 3 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .600.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 6.1 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.83.

Cavanaugh and Arteaga making an immediate impact after promotion to AAA.

AA:  Erie Seawolves beat the Richmond Flying Squirrels 14-7.

Jonah Cox CF- 3 for 5, 3B.  BA= .426.

Parks Harber 3B- 1 for 5, HR(3).  BA= .333.

Charlie Szykowny 1B- 3 for 5.  BA= .285.

Zane Zielinski SS- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .250.

Is Jonah Cox the Giants CF of the future?

A+:  Tri-Cities Dust Devils edged out the Eugene Emeralds 2-1.

Dakota Jordan CF- 2 for 4, SB(7).  BA= .291.

Jancel Villaroel DH- 2 for 4.  BA= .241.

Jean Carlos Sio 2B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .375.

Luis De La Torre LHP- 4.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 4.94.

Is Dakota Jordan the Giants CF of the future?

A: Ontario Tower Buzzers defeated the San Jose Giants 8-4.

Isaiah Barkett 2B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, SB(4).  BA= .333.

Dario Reynoso 3B- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .295.

Fernando Gonzalez C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .323.

Argenis Cayama RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 3 R, BB, 10 K's.  ERA= 5.79.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.36.

I attended this game specifically to see Cayama pitch.  He was perfect through the first 11 batters he faced and with 9 K's,  then went HBP, BB, HR before striking out the final batter he faced.  His fastball topped out at 94 MPH but he mixed it well with secondary stuff with excellent command and a good feel for pitching.  Not sure if he was upset at hitting the batter and losing his perfect game or if he is just inexperienced pitching out of the stretch but he did seem to temporarily lose command after the HBP.  He looks noticeably bigger on the mound than Keyner Martinez and is 2 years younger, although Martinez throws up to 5 MPH harder now.

ACL:  Angels outscored the Giants 9-7.

Josuar Gonzalez 2B- 3 for 4, 2B, HR(1). BA= .476.

Luis Hernandez SS- 3 for 4, 2B.  BA= .444.

Yulian Barreto 3B- 2 for 4, SB(2).  BA= .345.

Luis Frias CF- 2 for 3, BB, SB(3).  BA= .348.

Wow! Gonzalez and Hernandez were already doing well then kicked it into orbit the last two games.   Gonzalez:  6 for 7, 2 2B, HR, 3 BB, SB.  Hernandez:  8 for 9, 4 2B, HR.  

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.