Spring Training Game Wrap 3/18/2026: Dodgers 5 Giants 1(8 innings)

 

Freddie Freeman and the Dodgers lineup were to much for Landen Roupp and the Giants pitchers and the Giants lineup wilted in the triple digit temperatures at Camelback Ranch.  Key Lines:

Victor Bericoto RF- 1 for 1, HR(3).  BA= .457.  The Giants lineup managed just 4 hits and Bericoto's home run over the batter's eye in CF was the only one that did damage.  His 3 homers leads the Giants on the spring.  

Landen Roupp RHP- 4 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 4.15.  Roupp is the type of pitcher who probably does not match up well against this Dodgers lineup and he's far from alone in that.  Looking back this may be a pretty good start agains them.

Keaton Winn RHP(6.14), Joey Lucchesi LHP(4.50) and Erik Miller LHP(0.00) pitched shutout innings.  Trevor McDonald RHP got nicked for a 2-run HR by Nick Senzel.  

The game was mercifully called after 8 innings.  

Logan Webb RHP takes the mound on the road against the Rockies at 6:00 PM.  The Giants prospects take on the Red prospects on TV in Scottsdale with Keyner Martinez RHP getting the start there.

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/16/2026: Padres 3 Giants 1

Tyler Mahle had a sparkling start but was upstaged by Walker Buehler in a road loss to the Padres.  Key Lines:

Jared Oliva LF- 0 for 1, HBP, Sac, SB(12).  BA= .344.  Oliva is getting a long look.  He appears to have game-changing speed.

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 1 for 2, 2B, BB.  BA= .429.  Lee is back from the WBC.  Looking for a big season from him.

Buddy Kennedy 3B- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .346.  Tough to see a path to a roster spot for Kennedy despite a strong spring. 

Jesus Rodriguez 2B/C- 2 for 4.  BA= .353.  This guy has one of the shortest, quickest swings I've ever seen.   No doubt he can hit.  Is there a path to a roster spot?

Tyler Mahle RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 6/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.  That is good pitching!  Mahle's main challenge this season is staying healthy.

Ryan Walker RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.  I assume Walker goes into the season as the Closer.  Hopefully it's a bounce back year.  

Walker Buehler RHP(Padres)- 5 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 3.09.  This is going to turn out to be a great pick up for the Padres on a minor league deal no less.  I just know it.  Buster!  How could you let this happen?

The Giants have today off.  They are on the road against the Dodgers on Wednesday, starters TBD.

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/15/2026: Giants 7 Brewers 1

 

Jerar Encarnacion's 3-run home run provided more than enough runs as Robbie Ray and the Giants pitchers came within one out of a combined perfect game.  Key Lines: 

Matt Chapman 3B- 3 for 3, 2 2B, R.  BA= .448.  Chapman keeps hammering the ball.  6 doubles and 2 home runs out of 13 hits on the spring.

Grant McCray CF- 2 for 2, BB, 2 SB(3), R.  BA= .267.  One of his hits was a perfect push bunt down the 3B line that rolled to a stop on the grass.  An otherwise sparkling performance was marred by a pickoff from 2B.  

Bryce Eldridge DH- 1 for 2, 2 BB, R, RBI.  BA= .250.  413 OBP, .913 OPS.  But that comes with a 36% K rate.  I think the Giants would happily take that line for the season but is it sustainable?

Jerar Encarnacion LF- 1 for 3, HR(2), R, 3 RBI.  BA= .302.  Jerar is coming on like gangbusters and might just be the odds on favorite to start the season as the primary DH.  Option situation is a 2-edged sword.  Probably slightly increases chances of making the Opening Day roster.  If he doesn't he hits the DFA roulette wheel.

Christian Koss 2B- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .429.  Koss continues to look good at the plate and made a circus catch in shallow RF but got picked off 1B.  

Robbie Ray LHP- 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 1.23.  Sparkling performance by Ray.  Are the stars aligning for a huge season?  He's pitching for a new contract and he's an additional year away from surgery.

Carson Seymour RHP, Tristan Beck RHP and Matt Gage LHP combined for 3 more perfect innings.  Gregory Santos RHP got two outs in the 9'th but then gave up a walk and a double to end the perfect game, no-hitter and shutout within 2 batters.

Tyler Mahle RHP makes his fourth start of the spring today against the Padres in Peoria.  

Bad news for Hayden Birdsong RHP but maybe not surprising in retrospect.  Grade 2 UCL and forearm strain.  Seeking a second opinion.  It appears a long layoff is in his future no matter what the recommended treatment.

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/14/2026: D'Backs 8 Giants 7

 

The Giants built an early lead behind Rafael Devers hitting and Adrian Houser's pitching but Keaton Winn had a rough day opening the door for a D'backs comeback.  Key Lines:

Jesus Rodriguez LF- 2 for 4, 2B, R, RBI.  BA= .345.  This kid looks like a serious hitter.  Is there a path for both him and Daniel Susac to make the Opening Day roster with Rodriguez filling a utility/3'rd catcher role?  

Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 3, HR(1), 2 R, 3 RBI.  BA= .095.  Devers 3-run HR gave the Giants a 6-2 lead in the 4'th inning.  He did not look as large on the TV screen today as previous sightings.  

Parks Harber 3B- 1 for 1.  BA= .357.  Harber has had a good spring.  As he was going from first to third on Eric Haase's double he pulled up lame and skipped into 3B then limped off the field with a hammy strain.  Hard to see him not missing at least 4-6 weeks.  

Daniel Susac C- 2 for 3, HR(1), R, RBI.  BA= .345.  Giants can't let this Rule 5 Draft pick go back to the A's, right?

Christian Koss 2B- 2 for 3, R.  BA= .423.  Koss just keeps going and going and.....

Jared Oliva PR- 0 for 0, SB(10).  BA= .367.  Oliva almost pulled off manufacturing a run for the second game in a row.  This time he pinch ran for Buddy Kennedy who drew a leadoff walk in the 9'th inning.  Oliva stole 2B then went to 3B on a wild pitch.  He as stranded there on a groundout and two K's.  It looked like he could have come home on the groundout but got a late read.  Bryce Eldridge came up as a PH with 1-out.  He looked at two strikes then swung through a high and tight fastball.  Can't help but think that AB was a test for the kid to see if he could make contact when he had to.  He didn't.  

Adrian Houser RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K's, 8/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.86.  I think you can rest assured Houser is going to be in the rotation to start the season.  

Keaton Winn RHP- 0.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 7.11.  Winn has a disaster appearance after looking unhittable all spring.

Robbie Ray LHP makes his 5'th spring start today against the Brewers in Scottsdale.  

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/13/2026: Reds 1 Giants 0

The Reds scored a run in the first inning and made it stand up in a loss for the Giants in the road half of a split-squad doubleheader.  Key Lines;

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .242.  The double left the bat at 111 MPH.  6 of Eldridge's 8 hits have gone for extra bases.  

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 9.64.  A far better start for Whiz than his last two.

Ryan Walker RHP- 1 IP, 0. H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.  Walker came into camp as the presumptive Closer.  So far, he has done nothing to lose that designation.

J. T. Brubaker RHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 5 K's, 4/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.00.  Brubaker is on a MLB contract so he has a roster spot to lose.  So far he has done nothing to lose it.

Adrian Houser RHP gets the start at home in a televised game tomorrow in Scottsdale facing the D'Backs and Zac Gallen RHP.

Logan Webb RHP was electric for Team USA in a win over Team Canada in the WBC:  4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's, 4/1 GO/AO.  

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/13/2026: Reds 6 Giants 1

The Giants lineup struggled while the pitching was subpar as they lost the home half of a split-squad doubleheader.  Key Lines:

Jerar Encarnacion RF/LF- 2 for 4, 2B, RBI.  BA= .308.  Encarnacion seems to be batting his way into contention for a reserve OF/1B/DH role as well as a RH bat off the bench.  

Matt Chapman 3B and Parks Harber 3B each hit doubles in 2 AB. 

Willy Adames SS, Rafael Devers 1B, Patrick Bailey C and Harrison Bader CF went a combined 0 for 0 for 11.

Landen Roupp RHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 4 K's, 3/0 GO/AO.  Roupp had a rough first inning giving up a 1-out triple, walk, walk to load the bases.  J. J. Bleday singled on a ball that deflected off Buddy Kennedy 2B.  Now, Luis Arraez would have.....wait!  Nevermind!  He settled down and got out of the inning on a pair of comebackers then pitched two more scoreless frames.  So no worries about Roupp.  

Erik Miller LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K'S.  ERA= 0.00.  Miller was out with a backache but came back strong in his first spring appearance.

Spring Training Game Wrap 3/12/2026: Giants 3 White Sox 3

Jared Oliva created a run in the 9'th inning with his speed on the basepaths to give the Giants a come-from-behind tie in Scottsdale.  Key Lines:

Harrison Bader CF- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .429.  Bader is back from the WBC.(I haven't really been following the WBC.  Did he play in it?)

Rafael Devers DH- 0 for 4.  BA= .000.  IDK, Devers looks really big and out of shape to my eye.

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 3, R, RBI.  Chapman has been hot all spring.  

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 0 for 2, BB, 2 K's.  BA= .241.  Eldridge looked really bad on the 2 K's but also drew a walk.  Definitely shaping up to be a 3-true outcomes guy.  On one of the K's, the TV camera showed Will Clark looking on from the dugout and you could tell he was cringing inside.  Kuip mentioned the visual similarity to Brandon Belt when he's in the batter's box.  

Daniel Susac C- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .333.  Nice oppo-field approach on the single.  Giants can't let this Rule 5 pick they traded for go, right?

Jared Oliva PR- 0 for 0, 2 SB(9), R.  BA= .407.  With the Giants trailing 3-2 in the top of the 9'th inning, Eric Haase drew a 1-out walk.  Oliva came in as PR.  He stole both 2B and 3B on pitches that were essentially pitch-outs and he was on the bag before the throws even hit the fielder's gloves.  He scored on Jerar Encarnacion's sac fly.  I don't remember when the Giants every had a player with that kind of game-changing speed and it might just win him a roster spot.  Oh, and I've been pronouncing his name Oleeva and wondering if he's related to former Twins star Tony Oliva, but I noticed Kuip pronounced it Ahliva. 

Trevor McDonald RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, 7/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 1.80.  McDonald gave up 2 solo HR's but the secondary stats look great.  The mid-90's FB has serious late sink you can see on the TV and it had ChiSox batters killing worms.  

Matt Gage LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.60.  Gage is probably winning a roster spot, especially if Erik Miller starts the season on the shelf.  

Keaton Winn RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.42.  More high-90's heat with a diving split.  Looks like Closer stuff to me. 

Caleb Kilian RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 1.42.  Another strong case for a roster spot.

Juan Sanchez LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.  Sanchez was wild and loaded the bases with one out.  Pitching Coach Justin Meccage came out for a chat.  Comebacker GIDP.  Just like that!

Giants play split-squad games against the Reds today with Carson Whisenhunt LHP starting the road game and Landen Roupp RHP starting the home game.  

Notes:  

Hayden Birdsong RHP is being evaluated for elbow soreness.  

Will Bednar RHP, Diego Cartaya C, Bo Davidson OF and Trent Harris RHP were reassigned to minor league camp.  Bednar's early demotion comes as a minor surprise.

Erik Miller LHP is scheduled to make his first spring appearance today.