Down on the Farm: 4/14/2026

 

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats at Tacoma Rainiers postponed.  The Cats have now had 3 straight games postponed or cancelled.  

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Hartford Yard Goats 11-7.

Scott Bandura LF- 3 for 5, 2 2B, SF, Sac.  BA= .333.

Dayson Croes 2B- 3 for 6, 2 2B.  BA= .349.

Bo Davidson CF- 1 for 5, HR(3).  BA= .240.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 2 for 3, 2B, BB, HBP.  BA= .435.

Diego Velasquez 3B- 2 for 4, HBP.  BA= .300.

Turner Hill RF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .344.

Logan Martin RHP- 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.32.

Jack Choate LHP- 3.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 2.35.

Do the Flying Squirrels actually have a good hitting team this season?

A+:  Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett Aquasox 7-1.

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .368.

Zander Darby 2B- 2 for 4, SB(2).  BA= .412.

Juan Perez C- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA= .133.

Charlie McDaniel LHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Ryan Slater RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 1.80.

A:  Rancho Cucamonga Quakes defeated the San Jose Giants 12-6.

Jhonny Level SS- 1 for 4, HR(3), BB.  BA- .484.

Junior Barajas C- 1 for 4, HR(3), BB.  BA= .323.

Dario Reynoso 2B- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .292.

Broedy Poppell DH- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB.  BA= .300.

Isaiah Barkett 3B- 2 for 4.  BA= .440.

Keyner Martinez RHP- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 5 K's, 4/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 9.45.

I attended this game.  It was a picture perfect day in Rancho Cucamonga after a spring storm although it got pretty warm sitting in the sun.  Thankfully I was in the upper deck and got some shade from the stadium roof in the later innings.  I was excited to see Jhonny Level warming up and his name at the top of the lineup.  He did not disappoint, hitting a home run on the first pitch of the game over the left field scoreboard.  He went on to have a rough day defensively.  Junior Barajas is tall for a catcher.  He also hit a home run over the 401 ft sign in left-CF.  Keyner Martinez looked great through 3 perfect innings with a sinker that sat 95-96 MPH.  A lead off bounding ball that was misplayed by Dario Reynoso at 2B in the 4'th inning seemed to distract Martinez.  He didn't make it out of the inning and was charged with 4 runs.  After that, the SJ pitching was terrible and the defense was almost as bad and the Quakes won in a route.

Game Wrap 4/14/2026: Giants 2 Reds 1

Robbie Ray allowed two solo home runs and that was too much for the Giants flaccid lineup to overcome.  Key Lines:

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 4, HR(3), R, RBI.  BA= .273.  Adames continues to swing a hot bat hitting .393 over his last 7 games.  His solo home run accounted for the only Giants run of the game.

Luis Arraez 2B- 3 for 4.  BA= .333. Luis Arraez continues to do Luis Arraez things such as bat for a high batting average.  Problem is the 3 batters behind him in the lineup went a combined 0 for 10 with a walk and HBP so Arraez' efforts did not figure into the scoring.  

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .207.  Maybe Lee is coming out of his early season funk as he is batting .280 over his last 7 games.

Robbie Ray LHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 6 K's.  Typical Ray start which fell short of a Quality Start but should have been good enough for a W.  The bullpen did their part with Caleb Kilian RHP(1.29), Keaton Winn RHP(3.68) and Ryan Walker RHP(4.50) pitching a scoreless inning each but the Giants lineup couldn't close the one run gap.

The Giants record fell to 6-11 and they remain mired in last place in the NL West. They are tied with a total of 3 other teams for the worst record in MLB.  

Tyler Mahle RHP tries to be the Stopper tomorrow evening facing Rhett Lowder RHP.

Down on the Farm: 4/12/2026

AAA:  Las Vegas Aviators vs Sacramento River Cats Cancelled(Doubleheader).

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels squeaked past the Altoona Curve 2-1.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 3, 2 2B, Sac.  BA= .286.

Darien Smith RHP- 4.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 9 K's, 4/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.16.

Cesar Perdomo LHP- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K's, 3/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Mitch White RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.76.

Darien Smith took the scenic route through college and was 24 years old when the Giants signed him as an undrafted free agent in August 2024.  Last season he put up an excellent line of 8-0, 1.91, 70.2 IP, 8.66 K/9, 2.76 BB/9, 1.25 GO/AO in A and A+ ball.  He pitched mostly in relief and earned 2 Saves.  So far this season in AA his line after two appearances with one start:  1-0, 2.16, 8.1 IP, 4 BB, 11 K, 2.25 GO/AO.  No written scouting report.  I found some videos that look like he has a FB, Cutter, curve and changeup, all with impressive movement.

A+:  Vancouver Canadians defeated the Eugene Emeralds 8-5.

Jack Payton RF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .280.

Zane Zielinski SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .458.

Zander Darby 2B- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .400.

A:  San Jose Giants topped the Visalia Rawhide 3-2(7 innings, Game 1 of doubleheader).

Cam Maldonado CF- 1 for 2, BB.  BA= .222.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 1 for 2, HR(2), BB.  BA= .353.

Dario Reynoso 3B- 1 for 2, 2B, BB.  BA= .250.

Isaiah Barkett 2B- 1 for 2, 2B, Sac.  BA= .444.

Broedy Poppel RF- 1 for 2, BB, SB(3).  BA= .294.

Sam Hentges LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K, 2/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Braydon Risley LHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 1.69.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 1.69.

Good to see Sam Hentges start a rehab assignment.  If it goes well, he should be ready by May 1.

A:  San Jose Giants beat the Visalia Rawhide 4-2(7 innings, Game 2 of doubleheader).

Damian Bravo LF- 2 for 4, 2 2B.  BA= .206.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .400.

Sam Bower RHP- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 6.00.

Alix Hernandez RHP- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Jhonny Level did not play for the second day in a row.  A commenter reported he was a late scratch on Saturday.  He's still listed as Active on the roster.

Game Wrap 4/12/2026: Orioles 6 Giants 2

A home run that hit the left-field foul pole in the 9'th inning off the bat of Casey Schmitt was too little, too late to overcome a generally dispiriting performance by both pitchers and hitters.  Key Lines:

Casey Schmitt DH- 3 for 4, HR(1), 2 R, 1 RBI.  BA= .368.  Mighty Casey continued his hot hitting.  He now has a 5-game hit streak including three 3-hit games.  He's not the guy I would have bet on to be the primary DH but it looks like that job is his for now.  

Daniel Susac C- 1 for 3, RBI.  BA= .636.  Susac showed off his arm strength with a laser throw from his knees on strike-e out, throw-em out in the second inning.  He later barely missed nailing Gunnar Henderson on a SB attempt.  

Adrian Houser RHP- 4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 3 K's, 7/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 5.06.  The Orioles mounted two, 2-run rallies after Houser retired the first two batters in the innings.  On top of that, he had Pete Alonso 1B at a 1-2 count in the first inning before losing him to a walk only to have Samuel Basallo C take him deep to left-center on a hanging sinker.  Houser seemed to settle down over the next 3 innings until the 5'th when he allowed a 2-out line-drive single to Henderson followed by a flyball single to RF that looked like Encarnacion got a late jump on and Jung Hoo Lee probably would have caught.  Pete Alonso then doubled both runners home and that was it for Houser.

Cade Povich LHP- 6.2 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 2.19.  Povich is a soft-tossing lefty whose career ERA is over 5 but he took advantage of an aggressive approach by the Giants hitters and did not allow his first baserunner until Schmitt led off the 5'th with a single.  He got 8 flyball outs on low-90's 4-seam fastballs which the Giants hitters could not get on top of enough to drive them. He kept them off balance with a slow curve and an occasional changeup.  

The loss dropped the Giants record to 6-10, tied for last place in the NL West with the Rockies.  They trail the Dodgers by 5.5 games and the third place D'Backs by 3.  

The Giants have a travel day tomorrow before starting a series in Cincinnati on Tuesday with Robbie Ray LHP facing Brady Singer RHP.

Down on the Farm: 4/11/2026

AAA:  Las Vegas Aviators at Sacramento River Cats postponed due to inclement weather.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels topped the Altoona Curve 9-8(10 innings).

Turner Hill LF- 1 for 2, 3 BB.  BA= .321.

Charlie Szykowny 1B- 3 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .310.

Maui Ahuna SS- 2 for 5, SB(2).  BA= .226.

Sabin Ceballos PH- 1 for 1, 2B.  BA= .190.

Jonah Cox RF- 1 for 3, 2B, BB, Sac.  BA= .360.

Curve took a 2-run lead in the top of the 10'th inning but the Squirrels came roaring back with a 3-spot for the walk-off win.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds edged out the Vancouver Canadians 3-2.

Walker Martin 3B- 2 for 4.  BA= .259.

Zane Zielinski 2B- 3 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .474.

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 4, SF.  BA= .382.

Yunior Marte RHP- 4.2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K's, 6/3 GO/AO.  ERA= 1.04.

Cade Vernon RHP- 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 6.00.

Darien Peterson RHP- 1.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, Save(2).  BA= 3.86.

A:  Visalia Rawhide at San Jose Giants postponed due to inclement weather.

Game Wrap 4/11/2026: Orioles 6 Giants 2

 

The Giants returned to a familiar formula for futility as Logan Webb struggled with his command and the lineup failed to capitalize on multiple run-scoring opportunities(I don't mean to imply that Logan Webb himself is a familiar part of a losing formula).  Key Lines:

Heliot Ramos LF- 2 for 4, 2 RBI.  BA= .218.  Ramos had both of the Giants RBI's in the game but one came on a 1-out, bases-loaded squibber to 1B that drove in Rafael Devers 1B from third but set up and inning-ending ground-out by Patrick Bailey C.  

Speaking of Patrick Bailey, I was struck on that At-Bat and at least one other how awful his swings looked and how little enthusiasm he appeared to put into them.  Tony Vitello may have noticed the same body language and pinch-hit for him with Daniel Susac against a RHP, no less.

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 6 K's, 9/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 5.25.  I will give Webb credit for battling through his command issues which did not improve in his later innings of work.  He ended up a run over the Quality Start limit.  

The Loss dropped the Giants record to 6-9.  Adrian Houser RHP tries for a series win tomorrow against Cade Povich LHP who has a career ERA over 5.  Expect Daniel Susac to be the starting catcher.

Down on the Farm: 4/10/2026

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats destroyed the Las Vegas Aviators 11-0.

Eric Haase C- 1 for 5, HR(1), BB.  BA= .318.

Bryce Eldridge DH- 4 for 5, 2B.  BA= .360.

Will Brennan RF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .392.

Jake Holton 1B- 3 for 4, BB.  BA= .360.

Nate Furman 2B- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .364.

Carson Seymour RHP- 4.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 2.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.52.

Juan Sanchez LHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Michael Fulmer RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 2.70.

The 3 strike out, 0 for 4 on April 7 seems to be a nadir.  Eldridge is 9 for 14 with 2 doubles and a HR since.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels crushed the Altoona Curve 11-2.

Scott Bandura LF- 3 for 5, SB(2).  BA= .258.

Bo Davidson CF- 2 for 5, 2 HR(2).  BA= .231.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .500.

Turner Hill RF- 3 for 5, SB(1).  BA= .444.

Aeverson Arteaga 3B- 3 for 4.  BA= .444.

Joe Whitman LHP- 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 6.23.

Shane Rademacher RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.50.

Dylan Hecht RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.60.

Bo Davidson's first big game of the season after starting a few days late on April 7.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds topped the Vancouver Canadians 6-4(10 innings):

Gavin Kilen DH- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .400.

Trey Dillard RHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, Save(1).  ERA= 0.00.

A:  San Jose Giants defeated the Visalia Rawhide 5-3.

Dario Reynoso 3B- 2 for 4.  BA= .222.

Andy Polanco CF- 3 for 4, SB(4).  BA= .409.

Argenis Cayama RHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 5.87.

Strong strikeout game for Cayama who is just 19 yo.

Game Wrap 4/10/2026: Giants 6 Orioles 3

Four Giants batters turned in multi-hit game to back a Quality Start by Landen Roupp as the Giants picked up on the road where they left off at home.  Key Lines:

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 5, 2B, HR(2), R, 2 RBI.  BA= .273.  Adames recorded his 4'th 2-hit game in a row.  6 of those 8 hits went for doubles and he added a HR tonight giving him 7 of 8 hits XBH's over that time.

Luis Arraez 2B- 0 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .302.  The 2 walks were just his 3'rd and 4'th of the season.

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .315.  The three batters at the top of the order reached base 7 times in 15 PA's.  

Casey Schmitt DH- 3 for 5, 3 2B, 2 R, RBI.  BA= .333.  Since the forgettable final game in San Diego on April 1, Schmitt has played in just 3 games but has 7 hits with 4 doubles in 11 AB in those games.  He wore out the left fielder with hooking liners down the line that started out far enough right to stay fair.  The hits were scalded at 105, 107 and 99 MPH exit velocity.

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(1), R, 2 RBI.  BA= .174.  The starting outfielders have scuffled but Lee had a nice game and Heliot Ramos LF got in on the scoring with an RBI single and scored a run.

Landen Roupp RHP- 6 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 4 K, 7/4 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.24.  Roupp kept the O's off balance all night in a bend but don't break outing.  

The Giants improved their record to 6-8.  At this writing, they are still in last place, 4 games behind the Dodger. All 4 of the other NL West teams are still playing.

Logan Webb RHP tries to keep the winning going tomorrow against Chris Bassitt RHP.

Down on the Farm: 4/9/2026

AAA:  The Sacramento River Cats crushed the Las Vegas Aviators 9-0.

Jesus Rodriguez C- 4 for 4, 2B, HR(2).  BA= .349.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 3 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .311.

Will Brennan RF- 4 for 5.  BA= .370.

Thomas Gavello SS- 1 for 4, HR(2).  BA= .185.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 4 K's, 3/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.86.

Braxton Roxby RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 11.57.

Joel Peguero RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Nick Zwack LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 20.77.

Darien Smith RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 4/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Since going 0 for 5 on Opening Day, Jesus Rodriguez has an 8-game hit streak and has 4 multi-hit games in a row.  Since going 0 for 4 with 3 K's on 4/7, Bryce Eldridge is 5 for 9 with a double and HR and 2 K's out of 10 PA's.  This was Joel Peguero's second scoreless appearance after a late start.  How long before he gets called up?

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels edged out the Altoona Curve 3-2.

Scott Bandura LF- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .192.

Greg Farone LHP- 4.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 2.00.

Mitch White RHP- 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.79.

Cameron Pferrer RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Greg Farone has 13 K's and 2 BB's in 9 IP over two starts.  

A+:  Vancouver Canadians blasted the Eugene Emeralds 14-5.

Trevor Cohen RF- 3 for 5, 3 2B, BB.  BA= .240.

Robert Hipwell 1B- 2 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .154.

Walker Martin DH- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .222.

Zane Zielinski 2B- 2 for 4, 2B, HBP.  BA= .429.

Ryan Vanderhei RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  

Gavin Kilen comes back to Earth with an 0 for 5.  

A: Visalia Rawhide outscored the San Jose Giants 9-7.

Jhonny Level SS- 2 for 4, 2B, BB.  BA= .519.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .417.

Jordan Gottesman LHP- 3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 4.05.  

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

Jhonny Level keeps raking.  Jeremiah Jenkins is a prototypical B-L, T- L first baseman drafted as a project in 2024.  Maybe he finds traction this season?  Alix Hernandez missed most of last season but pitched well in a limited sample.  Maybe this is the year he finds traction too?  

Down on the Farm: 4/8/2026

AAA: Sacramanto River Cats topped the Las Vegas Aviators 8-7.

Drew Gilbert CF- 1 for 6, HR(1).  BA= .300.

Jesus Rodriguez 2B- 2 for 5, 2B, BB.   BA= .289.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 2 for 5, HR(1). BA= .268.

Victor Bericoto LF- 1 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .306.

Wilkin Ramos RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.91.

Eldridge goes from an 0 for 4 with 3 K's to hitting a 2-run HR in the first inning.  Interesting that Rodriguez gets work at 2B on a day he doesn't catch.  A catcher who can play other positions or a utility man who can play catcher are like the holy grail of roster construction.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels defeated the Altoona Curve 5-3.

Dayson Croes 3B- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .417.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .545.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 1 for 2, 2B,  2 BB.  BA= .429.

Turner Hill RF- 1 for 3, 3B, BB.  BA= .222.

Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 4, 2B, 2 SB(5).  BA= .350.

Jack Choate LHP- 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.15.

Dylan Carmouche LHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 27.00.

Tyler Vogel RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save(2).  ERA= 0.00.

Squirrels are off to a 4-1 start with several strong hitting performances.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds beat the Vancouver Canadians 5-2.

Gavin Kilen SS- 2 for 4, 2B, SF.  BA= .500.

Dakota Jordan CF- 3 for 5, 3 2B.  BA= .273.

Diego Cartaya C- 1 for 2, HR(1), 2 BB.  BA= .091.

Zander Darby 2B- 3 for 4, SB(1).  BA= .533.

Tyler Switalski LHP- 4.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 9 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Ryan Slater RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Kilen continues to rake A+ and appears to be a candidate for early promotion. Tyler Switalski, a big lefty who was the Giants 16'th round draft pick in 2024 is off to a great start with 17 K and just 1 BB in 8 IP.  

A:  San Jose Giants whipped the Visalia Rawhide 8-2.

Jhonny Level SS- 3 for 5, 2 2B, HR(2).  BA= .522.

Junior Barajas C- 2 for 4, HR(2), BB.  BA= .421.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .429.

Isaiah Barkett DH- 3 for 4, 2B, HR(1).  BA= .714.

Cody Delvecchio RHP- 3 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 4 K's, 3/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.57.

Sam Bower RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 9.82.

Mauricio Estrella RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Cooper McGrath RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 6.75.

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

I'm getting excited to see the SJ Giants play in Rancho Cucamonga next week(weather permitting). I feel like if I don't catch them next week, Jhonny Level might be moved up by the time they come to Ontario in May.  Junior Barajas is off to an exciting start too.  Cooper McGrath is 6' 8", 240 lbs.  He was the Giants 18'th round draft pick in 2025.  Bower was the 11'th round pick out of St Mary's.  Dylan Carter was a UDFA signing after last year's draft.

Game Wrap 4/8/2026: Giants 5 Phillies 0

The Giants closed out this homestand on a decidedly positive note as Rafael Devers got the scoring started with a 3-run home run in the 6'th inning and the pitching staff turned in their second shutout in a row.  Key Lines:

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 4, 2B, 2 R.  BA= .260.  Adames went 6 for 12 with 5 doubles in the series to raise his BA by .076.  

Luis Arraez DH- 2 for 2, 3B, BB, Sac, 2 R.  BA= .320.  Arraez has been the most consistent Giants hitter so far. He went 5 for 10 in the series.  

Rafael Devers- 2 for 4, HR(2), R, 4 RBI.  BA= .220.  That's the way it's done! Clean up hitters are supposed to clean up.  Devers broke up a scoreless game in the bottom of the 6'th inning and that was all the pitching needed.  

Tyler Mahle RHP- 5.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 6 K, 9/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 4.30.  Mahle came within an out of being the pitcher of record and the Win.  He gave up a 2-out single to Adolis Garcia.  At 94 pitches, Tony Vitello brought in Matt Gage LHP to strike out lefty-batting Brandon Marsh and notice it wasn't Ryan Borucki LHP.  

Caleb Kilian RHP, Blade Tidwell RHP and Erik Miller LHP finished up and if you squint real hard you can see a bullpen starting to take shape.

The Giants improved their record to 5-8. They remain in last place in the NL West but gain a game on the division-leading Dodgers at 4.5 games behind. They trail the Padres, D'Backs and Rockies by 1.5 games.

The Giants have a travel day tomorrow before starting a 9-game road trip. They start that on Friday with Landen Roupp RHP facing the Orioles with Shane Baz RHP taking the mound for the O's.  

Down on the Farm: 4/7/2026

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats defeated the Las Vegas Aviators 5-3.

Logan Gilbert LF- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .324.

Jesus Rodriguez C- 2 for 4, HR(1), BB.  BA= .273.

Nate Furman 2B- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB.  BA= .346.

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

Spencer Bivens RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.06.

Michael Fulmer RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.18.

Jesus Rodriguez warming up after a cold start.  Expect Joel Peguero up to the MLB team in the not-to-distant future.  

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels edged out the Altoona Curve 3-2.

Dayson Croes 2B- 3 for 4, 2B.  BA= .421.

Cesar Perdomo LHP- 3.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Darien Smith RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.25.

R. J. Dabovich RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, Save(1).  ERA= 0.00.

The Giants are going to need a 2B who can hit next season.  Not sure about Croes defense but he has hit everywhere he's played.  He's a hitting machine!

A+:  Eugene Emeralds topped the Vancouver Canadians 4-3.

Trevor Cohen RF- 0 for 2, 2 BB, 2 SB(3).  BA= .133.

Gavin Kilen SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .500.

Carlos Gutierrez LF- 1 for 3, HR(1), BB.  BA= .200.

Charlie McDaniel LHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's, 5/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Brayan Palencia RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Gavin Kilen continues to rake.  A+ might be too conservative a placement for him.

A:  San Jose Giants outscored the Visalia Rawhide 11-9.

Jhonny Level SS- 2 for 5, 2B, SB(3).  BA= .500.

Lorenzo Meola 2B- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .412.

Junior Barajas C- 1 for 4, 2B, HBP.  BA= .400.

Andy Polanco CF- 4 for 4, 3B, SB(3).  BA= .545.

Ubert Mejias RHP- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Garrett Langrell RHP- 1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, Save(1).  ERA= 6.00.

Jhonny Level is not disappointing.  If this is Andy Polanco's breakout season, that would be huge for the Giants farm system.

Game Wrap 4/7/2026: Giants 6 Phillies 0

The Giants played their best game of the season dominating the Phillies in every phase of the game behind 6.2 shut out innings from Robbie Ray.  Key Lines:

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 4, 2 2B, R.  BA= .239.  Adames has 4 doubles in 8 AB's over his last two game at the top of the order.  More of that, please!

Matt Chapman 3B- 3 for 4, 2B, R, RBI.  BA= .304.  Chapman is batting .357 in April with 4 multi-hit games out of 7 and  4 XBH's.  

Casey Schmitt DH- 1 for 3, 2B, BB, R.  BA= .280.  Schmitt raised his BA from .158 over his last two games(the last time he played was 4/2 against the Mets).

Daniel Susac C- 3 for 4, 3B, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .857.  I think we have ourselves a catcher controversy.  It may be a flash in the pan, but so far Susac is tearing the cover off the ball, and did all spring training too.  Plus, he's more than holding his own on defense in an admittedly very small sample.

Robbie Ray LHP- 6.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 2.08.  Gutsy start from Ray who didn't get any breathing room until after his 5'th inning.  The walks were a bit unsettling but he was able to reach back for a little extra when he had to.  I'm still on board with Ray having a career season in the walk year of his contract.

Ryan Walker RHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 4.15.  Walker got a wild hair up his nose at several points but managed to pull it in when he had to.  He got the final out of the 7'th and then pitched a scoreless 8'th before the lineup scored a couple of insurance runs.

Keaton Winn RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 5.06.  Winn had a 6-run lead to work with but made a nice recovery from his last disaster appearance.

The Giants improved their record to 4-8.  They remain in last place in the NL West, 5.5 games behind the Dodgers and 3 games behind in the Wild Card standings.

They have a chance to win a series tomorrow afternoon with Tyler Mahle RHP facing Aaron Nola RHP.

Game Wrap 4/6/2026: Phillies 6 Giants 4

The Giants built an early 4-0 lead only to lose the game on another bullpen failure in the 7'th inning.  Key Lines:

Willy Adames SS- 2 for 4, 2 2B, BB, R.  BA= .214.  Nice game from Adames who seemed to have a more controlled aggression in his swing.  Alas, he only had a run-scored to show for it. 

Luis Arraez 2B- 2 for 4, SF, R, RBI.  BA= .295.  Arraez has been the team's best hitter.  The Sac Fly might have been a grand slam in some ballparks.  Instead the Giants got just one run out of a 1-out, bases-loaded situation.  

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 4, 3B, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .262.  Chapman stung the ball with a single that was 113 MPH in the first inning that nearly hit the 2B ump then drove in 2 runs with a 104 MPH triple in the 3'rd inning.  He also started a GIDP from 3B. The Giants first 3 batters in the lineup had a total of 6 hits, 3 XBH's and reached base 7 times.  Problem is the cleanup hitter, Rafael Devers went 0 for 4.  

Adrian Houser RHP- 6 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 2 BB, 3 K's, 10/3 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.97.  Houser had a Quality Start in hand after 6 innings.  He was only at 84 pitches so Tony Vitello let him go out for the 7'th inning.  He gave up a hard single to lefty batting Justin Crawford.  Trea Turner followed with a bloop single to RF.  With lefty-hitting Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper coming up, Tony Vitello brought in Ryan Borucki LHP to face them and all hell broke loose.  

Ryan Borucki LHP- 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 9.00.  Borucki is generally reasonably effective against LHB's but he walked Schwarber on 4 pitches then gave up a ground ball single to Harper which plated both of Houser's inherited runners tying the score.  Borucki is generally terrible against RH batters and now, because of the 3-batter rule, he had to face righty-batting Alec Bohm who hit a squibber down the first base line at 66 MPH that got past Devers, drove in Schwarber and sent Harper to 3B who later scored on a sac fly against Caleb Killian RHP.

Matt Gage LHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.  Tony Vitello said that Gage was the option to start an inning while Borucki was the situational lefty.  

Blade Tidwell RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.  Tidwell looked really good again with a 97 MPH fastball.  

The game really swung on the pitching decisions in the 7'th inning.  Each decision was defensible in isolation but ended as a disaster.  Ryan Borucki admittedly pitched in some bad luck but he is so bad against RH batters he should probably never face them or else walk them intentionally when he must.  If he can't reliably get LH batters out, he has no utility.  Hopefully he is not on the team by tonight's game.

Tony Vitello had other options.  Matt Gage could have started the 7'th inning with 3 lefty batters out of the next 4.  He also could have brought Gage in to face Schwarber and Harper when Houser ran into trouble.  He still would have had Kilian Tidwell and Ryan Walker  RHP available to pitch the 8'th and 9'th innings.  I am pretty sure there was not a fan in the stands or watching on TV who didn't audibly groan when Borucki came in.

Robbie Ray LHP tries to get things back on track tonight facing Christopher Sanchez LHP who comes in with an ERA of 0.79.  

Down on the Farm: 4/5/2026

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats beat the Bees 9-5.

Drew Gilbert DH- 1 for 4, BB.  BA= .300.

Eric Haase C- 2 for 5.  BA= .385.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .281.

Will Brennan LF- 2 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .344.

Victor Bericoto RF- 3 for 5, 2B, HR(1).  BA= .357.

Will Bednar RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Gregory Santos RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(1).  ERA= 0.00.

I expect Bericoto to move up to the Jerar Encarnacion role before the season is over.  I could see him getting promoted before Bryce Eldridge.  

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Erie Seawolves 11-9.  

Charlie Szykowny 1B- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .267.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 1 for 3, BB, HBP, SB(1).  BA= .400.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 3 for 4, 2B, HR1), BB.  BA= .625.

Aeverson Arteaga SS- 1 for 3, BB, HBP, SB(1).  BA= .333.

Jonah Cox CF- 1 for 3, BB, SB(3).  BA= .308.

Tyler Vogel RHP- 1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

I don't have a good scouting report on Cavanaugh's defense at catcher but he can hit.  This season is probably Aeverson Arteaga's last chance to get himself back to prospect status.  

A+:  Eugene Emeralds defeated the Hillsboro Hops 6-4.

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 3, BB.  BA= .545.

Jack Payton 1B- 3 for 4, 2 HR(2).  BA= .750.

Ty Hanchey RF- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .250.

Yunior Marte RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 3 K's, 5/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.25.

Ryan Vanderhei RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

San Jose Giants were idle.

Game Wrap 4/5/2026: Mets 5 Giants 2

Logan Webb stood in the gap for 7 innings and looked like he might pull off a series split, but a familiar combination of poor run support and a bullpen failure doomed his effort.  Key Lines:

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .237.  Chapman had by far the best day at the plate for the Giants lineup.  He did skip a throw to first that Devers whiffed on and was charged with an error, but it did not lead to any unearned runs.  

Logan Webb RHP- 7 IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K's, 12/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 5.00.  Classic Webb Gem.  Tony Vitello got himself thrown out of the game apparently because he wanted out, but if anyone deserved to go off on the rest of the team in the clubhouse it was Webb.  How much more of this does he have to endure?  

Keaton Winn RHP- 0.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 6.23.  After looking unhittable on 3/30 in San Diego, Winn has been bad his last two appearances.  Apparently not ready for prime time.

Erik Miller LHP- 0.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 12.00.  Ditto Keaton Winn.

The Loss drops the Giants record to 3-7 and into last place in the NL West, 4.5 games behind the Dodgers and 2 games behind the second place D'Backs.

It doesn't get any easier as the Giants start a series at home against the Phillies with Adrian Houser RHP facing the latest ace pitching prospect, Andrew Painter RHP in game 1 tomorrow evening.

Down on the Farm: 4/4/2026

 AAA:  Salt Lake City Bees walked off the Sacramento River Cats 5-4(Game 1 of DH, 7 Innings).

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .250.

Will Brennan LF- 2 for 3, 3B, SF.  BA= .333.

Nate Furman 2B- 2 for 3.  BA= .467.  

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats smothered the Salt Lake City Bees 7-1.

Logan Gilbert CF- 2 for 3, 2B, SF.  BA= .308.

Jesus Rodriguez C- 2 for 4, SB(1).  BA= .241.

Victor Bericoto RF- 2 for 4, 2B, 3B.  BA= .304.

Jake Holton 1B- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .333.

Carson Seymour RHP- 4 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K's, 7/1 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Wilkin Ramos RHP- 2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, 4/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 6.00.

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

Impressive line from Seymour, especially considering the environment.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Erie Seawolves 13-6.

Scott Bandura LF- 2 for 7, 3B.  BA= .273.

Dayson Croes 2B- 3 for 6, 3B.  BA= .444.

Maui Ahuna SS- 3 for 6, 2B, SB(1).  BA= .375.

Charlie Szykowny 1B- 2 for 5, HR(1), BB, SB(1).  BA= .200.

Sabin Ceballos 3B- 2 for 5, 2B, BB.  BA= .200.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 2 for 4, 2B, 2 BB. BA= .500.

Zach Morgan DH- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .400.

Manuel Mercedes RHP- 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Do we finally have a good hitting team in AA Richmond?  The first 7 batters all had at least 2 hits and at least one XBH.  

A+:  Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops 10-4.

Gavin Kilen SS- 3 for 3, 2 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .625.

Dakota Jordan CF- 1 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .222. 

Carlos Gutierrez LF- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .143.

Zander Darby 2B- 4 for 4, 2B, HR(1).  BA= 1.000.

Hunter Dryden RHP- 4 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K.

Austin Strickland RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

We are seeing more college first round draft picks near MLB ready.  Is Kilen one of those?

A:  San Jose Giants destroyed the Stockton Ports 15-4.

Jhonny Level DH- 4 for 5, 2B, HR(1), BB.  BA= .538.

Lorenzo Meola SS- 2 for 5, 2 2B, BB.  BA= .333.

Junior Barajas C- 3 for 6, 2 2B.  BA= .455.

Damian Bravo CF- 1 for 6, HR(1).  BA= .133.

Hayden Jatczak 1B- 0 for 2, 4 BB, SB(1).  BA= .500.

Broedy Poppell LF- 2 for 4, BB, SB(1).  BA= .250.

Isaiah Barkett 2B- 2 for 3, 2B, SF, BB.  BA= .667.

Argenis Cayama RHP- 3.2 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, 6/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 9.82.

Brayden Risley LHP- 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Melvin Pineda RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Several SJ Giants off to great starts, most notably Jhonny Level.  

Game Wrap 4/4/2026: Mets 9 Giants 0

 2026 is my 17'th season writing Game Wraps.  In the 16 previous seasons I can count on one hand the number of games so devoid of any redeeming features I abandoned the Key Lines format.  This was the second such game in a row and there probably should have been two more out of the 9 games played.  This was a total breakdown on all levels of the game as the lineup managed just 3 singles and 2 walks.  Landon Roupp struck out the first 4 batters he faced but then collapsed from the combined weight of bad BABIP luck and horrific fielding including Matt Chapman's failure to catch the f***ing ball.  

The Giants set historic records for batting futility in the opening series.  Three of the last four games were possibly even more embarrassing.  I don't think it's alarmist or in any way a stretch to say this is a team in serious, serious trouble.  It's a team that had to at least slightly over-perform to make the postseason and right now they are dramatically under-performing and it's the core players of an expensive team who are the leading under-performers.

Logan Webb RHP tries to salvage a series split today facing Kodai Senga RHP.

Down on the Farm: 4/3/2026

AAA:  The Salt Lake City Bees topped the Sacramento River Cats 6-5:

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 0 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .238.

Osleivis Basabe SS- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .500.

Nate Furman 2B- 1 for 3, BB, SB(2).  BA= .417.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 5.19.  

Gregory Santos RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 3/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Much improved start by Whiz.  Santos is a guy to watch for a future call up. 

AA:  Erie Seawolves held off the Richmond Flying Squirrels 7-6.

Dayson Croes DH- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .333.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .500.

Turner Hill LF- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .500.

Adrian Sugastey C- 1 for 4, 2B.  BA= .250.

Jonah Cox CF- 2 for 4, 2B, SB(1).  BA= .500.

Greg Farone LHP- 4.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 1.93.

Dylan Hecht RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

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

Aggressive placement for Farone who split time between A and A+ ball last season.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds outscored the Hillsboro Hops 8-6.

Trevor Cohen RF- 0 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .000.

Gavin Kilen SS- 2 for 5, 2 HR(2).  BA= .400.

Lisbel Diaz LF- 2 for 3  BA= .667.  

Walker Martin 3B- 2 for 4, 2B, HR(1).  BA= .500.

Zane Zielinski 2B- 3 for 4.  BA= .750.

Tyler Switalski LHP- 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 8 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Darien Peterson RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Huge game for Kilen,  the Giants 2025 first round draft pick including a walk-off 2-run home run.  Is this the year Walker Martin finally finds traction on his career?  Switalski pitched in relief but had the most dominant pitching appearance.

A:  Stockton Ports defeated the San Jose Giants 6-2.

Jhonny Level SS- 0 for 3, BB, SB(1).  BA= .375.

Hayden Jatczak 1B- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .667.

Jordan Gottesman LHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's. ERA= 0.00.

Mauricio Estrella RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00. 

Gottesman was the Giants 4'th pick in the 2025 draft in the 6'th round and the first pitcher they selected.

Game Wrap 4/3/2026: Mets 10 Giants 3

There were two key umpiring moments that set the tone for this whole game and they did not go the Giants way.  Tyler Mahle RHP was trying to shave the corners and just missing.  Patrick Bailey C tried to help him out with a couple of challenges. The first, on a 3-2 pitch was an overturn that got Mahle a K, but the second was  confirmed by 0.2 in which meant the Giants were down to 1 challenge in the first inning.  Then in the top of the second inning, the ump called a strike on Heliot Ramos LF on a ball that was at least 3 inches inside and which Ramos felt he couldn't challenge with the team down to one challenge.  Mahle hung in there for 5 innings but left with a 5-0 deficit and the Giants still looking for their first baserunner.  That's all I have to say about this stinker of a ballgame.  

Landen Roupp RHP tried to give the Giants a lead in the series today facing Clay Holmes RHP.

Jose Butto RHP was diagnosed with a blood clot in his arm and underwent surgery to remove it.  This puts leaving him out there on Wednesday long after it was obvious something was wrong all the more concerning.  It wasn't just his ego that was in danger but his life!

Down on the Farm: 4/2/2026

 AAA:  Sacramento River Cats at Salt Lake City Bees postponed.

A:  San Jose Giants outscored the Stockton Ports 12-8.

Jhonny Level SS- 3 for 5, SB(1).  BA= .600.

Junior Barajas C- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .400.

Dario Reynoso 3B- 1 for 2, 2 BB.  BA= .500.

Hayden Jatczak 1B- 3 for 4, 3B, HR(1), BB.  BA= .750.

Andrew Polanco CF- 1 for 4, 2 SB(2).  BA= .250.

Cody Delvecchio RHP- 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Great start for Jhonny Level at the top of the batting order.  Hayden Jatczak is a 24 yo signed as an undrafted free agent last summer.  He's a big guy at 6' 4", 237 lbs.  Bats RH.  Cody Delvecchio was the Giants 12'th round draft pick out of UCLA in 2026.  He looked impressive in limited spring training appearances.

Game Wrap 4/2/2026: Giants 7 Mets 2

The Giants played like they had something to prove, individually and collectively and prove it they did with a wire-to-wire win over the Mets.  Even Manager Tony Vitello got into the accountability act with some decisive managing.  Key Lines:

Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 5, HR(1), R, RBI.  BA= .259.  The solo home run came in add-on time but you can never score too many runs.  

Luis Arraez 2B- 2 for 5, 3B, 2 R, RBI.  BA= .321.  I read a story on the internets that said Arraez lit up the clubhouse with some pointed comments after yesterday's game.  Although the story sounded plausible it also read like it was written at least in part by AI.  If there is truth in it, Arraez backed it up with another multi-hit game including a 2-out RBI triple in the first inning to get the Giants their first run.  He then scored on Chapman's double.

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 5, 2B, R, RBI.  BA= .222.  Chapman was another guy with something to prove after he got some blowback for his criticism of Casey Schmitt's catching ability.  He hit a 2-out double in the first to drive in Arraez and then scored on an error by the pitcher to give the Giants a 3-1 lead after the first inning.

Daniel Susac C- 3 for 3, BB.  BA= 1.000.  Susac gets his first MLB start and reaches base 4 times.  Alas, he did not figure into the scoring.  

Casey Schmitt 1B- 3 for 3, BB, RBI.  BA= .273.  And speaking of something to prove.  Schmitty was the goat and whipping boy yesterday.  Not only did he reach base 4 times but also looked much more confident on defense making some plays that weren't so easy.  

Robbie Ray LHP- 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 3.38.  Typical Robbie Ray start keeping his team in the game but with inconsistent command and a lot of pitches thrown.  Vitello took him out at 97 pitches after he recorded the first out of the 6'th inning. And who should he bring in but Ryan Walker RHP who got lucky on a savvy ABS challenge by Daniel Susac on a 3-2 pitch and then got the last out on a flyout.  Welp, that is certainly one way to announce your closer is no longer the closer.  

Blade Tidwell RHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.  Another bold managing move that may signal a new strategy. Instead of using multiple relievers for an inning each when the Giants have a big lead, Vitello has now twice brought in a reliever and let them work the rest of the game, saving the high leverage relievers for a closer game.  We'll monitor this situation going forward, but so far I like it.  

The Win improves the Giants record to 3-4 and leaves them 1.5 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, time with the D'Backs.

Tyler Mahle RHP gets the ball tomorrow facing Nolan McLean RHP.  

Down on the Farm: 4/1/2026

AAA:  The Sacramento River Cats tamed the Salt Lake City Bees 10-5.

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 2 for 4, 2B, BB, HBP.  BA= .278.

Grant McCray RF- 2 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .316.

Eric Haase C- 3 for 5, 2 2B.  BA= .600.

Thomas Gavello SS- 2 for 5, HR(1).  BA= .188.

John Michael Bertrand LHP- 4 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 5.14.

Marques Johnson RHP- 1.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 2.70.

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

Eric Haase was released on 3/25/2026 but re-signed 3/31 to a minor league contract.  

 

Game Wrap 4/1/2026: Padres 7 Giants 1

A pair of errors leading to two unearned runs were probably the difference in this game on a day the lineup once again struggled against good pitching.  Key Lines:

Luis Arraez 2B- 3 for 4, 2B, SB(2).  BA= .304.  Arraez had 3 of the Giants 4 hits and made a nifty play on defense ranging far to his left and throwing a perfect strike to Adrian Houser covering first to retire Jackson Merrill, a fast runner, in the third inning.  

Adrian Houser RHP- 5.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's, 8/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 1.69.  Houser pitched well and deserved a better outcome both with more run support and with better fielding behind him.  In the first inning with 2 outs, Jackson Merrill was running on the pitch and came all the way around to score when Schmitt had the throw from Matt Chapman, which should have been out number 3, clank off his glove down the RF line.  Then in the 5'th Chapman made another throw with two outs that clanked off Schmitt's glove but this time the scorer gave the error to Chapman.  The one earned run Houser allowed came in the 6'th inning when he was obviously tiring. Without those two errors his pitch count might have been lower and he might have gotten through the 6'th before hitting his wall.

Caleb Kilian RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.  Kilian may be the comeback story of the year.  

Jose Butto RHP- 0.1 IP, 3 H 4 R, 4 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 22.50.  Butto didn't have it as was having to wear it when he suffered an apparent injury.  Not sure what all was going on out on the mound but Kuip commented that Butto did not look happy.  Ryan Borucki LHP came on and got the last 2 outs.  

The Giants season record drops to 2-4.  They return to Oracle Park tomorrow evening to start a 4-game series against the Mets with Robbie Ray LHP facing David Peterson LHP.

Down on the Farm: 3/31/2026

 AAA:  The Salt Lake City Bees swarmed the Sacramento River Cats 13-5:

Buddy Kennedy 3B- 4 for 4, 2B.  BA= .500.

Seth Lonsway LHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K, 8/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Not much else to see here.  If recall correctly, Lonsway looked pretty good in a couple of spring training appearances.

Game Wrap 3/31/2026: Giants 9 Padres 3

Willy Adames led off the game with a home run and the Giants never looked back in spite of a shaky start by Logan Webb.  Key Lines:

Willy Adames SS- 4 for 5, 2B, HR(1), 2 R, 2 RBI.  BA= .300.  Adames looked relaxed and dialed in at the plate,  made multiple strong defensive plays and was the star of the game.  Great to see this early in the season.  

Heliot Ramos LF- 1 for 4, BB, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .222.  Ramos flied out with one out and the bases loaded in the second inning but picked himself up by singling in two runs in another bases-loaded situation in the 6'th inning to break the game open.

Matt Chapman 3B- 2 for 5, HR(1), 2 R, RBI.  BA= .222.  Chapman's solo home run in the third inning gave the Giants a 4-0 lead and enabled them to keep the lead after the Padres scored 3 off Logan Webb in the bottom of the inning.

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 3 for 5, 2 2B, 3 RBI.  BA= .222.  Lee barely missed a third double on a rope down the RF line that landed foul but about a foot and half.  He followed that up with a bloop single that drove in a run.  As Vin Scully would say, "go figure!"  Oh, and .222 seems to be a popular batting average today.

Every member of the starting lineup had at least one hit.

Logan Webb RHP- 6 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 5 K's, 8/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 7.36.    Webb was shaky through 3 innings and Manager Tony Vitello had J. T. Brubaker up in the bullpen as pitch count soared through a 3-run third inning.  Webb got through the 4'th inning on two line-outs and a ground out.  He then struck out the heart of the Padres batting order in the 5'th, Fernando Tatis RF, Manny Machado 3B and Jackson Merrill CF.  By now, Webb's pitch count was up to 97 but Vitello let him go out for the 6'th.  That did not look like such a great idea when Webb went to a 3-1 count on the first batter, but he got 3 grounders on 3 pitches to get out of the inning after 104 pitches and recording a Quality Start.  Great comeback by Webb who was enabled by a great night for the lineup.

Brubaker worked two scoreless innings and Jose Butto RHP pitched a scoreless 9'th inning to secure the Giants win.

The Giants record improved to 2-3 and they are tied with the D'Backs 2 games behind the Dodgers who are at 4-1.

Adrian Houser RHP makes his first start of the season tomorrow afternoon facing Nick Pivetta RHP who is coming off a disaster start so he'll be looking to bounce back.

Game Wrap 3/30/2026: Giants 3 Padres 2

 

Harrison Bader jump-started the scoring with a solo home run to lead off the third inning.  The bottom of the lineup added two more runs in the 4'th inning in support of Landen Roupp's stellar start and the Giants survived a shaky 9'th inning by Ryan Walker for their first win of the season.  Key Lines:

Harrison Bader CF- 1 for 4, HR(1), R, RBI.  BA= .143.  Bader unloaded on his old college teammate, Walker Buehler RHP, to give Roupp a lead he did not give up.

Casey Schmitt 1B- 2 for 3, 2B, SB(1), RBI.  BA= .167.  There have been calls from within the Giants blogosphere for Encarnacion instead of Schmitt in the lineup.  Schmitty quieted those calls with a 2-hit performance tonight as well as some nifty fielding plays at first base.

Landen Roupp RHP- 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K's, 7/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.  I am pretty sure if this game was in Oracle Park, Roupp would have gotten a standing O as he walked off the field after the 6'th inning.  A masterful performance of mixing pitches and locations to keep the Padres lineup off balance all evening.  Once again, his curveball was particularly effective.  

Keaton Winn RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.  Winn's sinker-split combo was unhittable and had Kruk and Kuip commenting that he has Closer's stuff.

Ryan Walker RHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, Save(1).  ERA= 7.71.  Walker picks up right where he left off last season.  He's a 2-pitch pitcher and doesn't have command of either one.  Do you trust him with anything less than a 3-run lead?  Do you trust him with a 3-run lead?

The win improves the Giants record to 1-3 good enough for a tie for 2'nd place in the NL West.

Logan Webb RHP tries to shake off his Opening Day loss tomorrow evening facing German Marquez RHP.

The Giants made three roster moves today:  

Luis Matos OF was traded to the Brewers for cash considerations.  Not sure if the BrewCrew has the playing time Matos needs to succeed, but otherwise it seems like a perfect landing for him.

The Giants traded with the Tigers for Dylan Smith RHP for cash considerations. He was recently DFA'd off the Tigers Roster.  He pitched at multiple levels last season including 13 innings for the Tigers with a 1.38 ERA despite a 2.77 K/9.  He is a hard thrower with a FB averaging 95 MPH and had a much higher K/9 in the minors.  He still has 2 options so can be assigned to AAA Sacramento.  

Tyler Fitzgerald UT was DFA'd.  He had one insane stretch from 7/9/2024-8/14/2026 where he hit 13 home runs.  High K rates eventually caught up with him.  He regressed badly and never recovered.

Down on the Farm: 3/29/2026

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats outlasted the El Paso Chihuahuas 5-4(11 innings):

Drew Gilbert LF- 3 for 5, Sac.   BA= .333.

Jesus Rodriguez C- 2 for 5, 2B, SF.  BA= .200.  

Bryce Eldridge DH- 1 for 4, HBP.  BA= .300.

Blade Tidwell RHP- 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's, 0/4 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Trevor McDonald RHP- 2.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 4 K's, 3/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.86.

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

Gregory Santos RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Braxton Roxby RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's, W(1-0).  ERA= 9.00.

Jesus Rodriguez off to a slow start but bat came alive in the late innings and he hit the game-winning Sac Fly.  Tidwell and McDonald two very different pitchers as evidenced by their reciprocal groundball/flyball ratios.

Thanks to BaseballJeff1 on Bluesky for the heads up on some minor league player releases:

Brent Honeywell RHP

Tyler Myrick RHP

Miguel Blanco OF

Donovan McIntyre OF

Cale Lansville RHP

Quinn McDaniel 2B

Cole Foster IF

Ian Villers RHP

Nick Sinacola RHP

Jesus Alexander C

Jorge Ramirez C

Juan Perez C

Down on the Farm: 3/28/2026

AAA:  Sacramento River Cats slipped past the El Paso Chihuahuas 5-4(10 innings):

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 4, BB.  BA= .333.

Buddy Kennedy 3B- 1 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .333.

Logan Porter C- 1 for 5, 3B.  BA= .200.

Carson Seymour RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, 2/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Tristan Beck RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's, 2/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 0.00.

Michael Fulmer RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Seymour needs to get stretched back out after being used mostly in relief in spring training.   

Game Wrap 3/28/2026: Yankees 3 Giants 1

 

4 GIDP's kept the Giants lineup from capitalizing on 9 hits and 12 baserunners in a game that led to some second-guessing for Manager Tony Vitello.  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 1 for 3, 2B, BB, R.  BA= .100.  The top of the lineup did what it's supposed to do in the third inning when Lee doubled to lead off and Matt Chapman singled him home.  

Luis Arraez 2B- 2 for 4, SB(1).  BA= .273.

Rafael Devers DH- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .250.  When the 3 and 4 hitters go 4 for 8 with a double and a SB and yet have 0 R and 0 RBI, something is seriously messed up.

Tyler Mahle RHP- 4 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 5 K's. Mahle did not pitch poorly but threw 80 pitches in 4 innings.  

Ryan Borucki LHP- 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 5.40.  This is where the 3 batter rule bites.  Borucki easily got two outs against lefty batters which brought up Aaron Judge with another lefty batter, Cody Bellinger, on deck.  There is a lot of talk about how Tony Vitello should have put up 4 fingers but Bellinger historically has a pretty severe reverse split and savages LHP's.  As it turned out Judge homered and Bellinger popped out.  IMO Vitello showed his rookiness by not being forceful enough in pointing that out in his postgame presser.  

Tony Vitello Manager- Another critique comes from letting Jung Hoo Lee bat against Tim Hill LHP in the 7'th inning.  Again, most managers are not going to pinch-hit in a 2-out, no runners on base situation.  Then there was Jared Oliva pinch-running for Adames in the 9'th which is defendable but it comes after Adames was lowered to #6 in the batting order amid rumors of some friction between him and Vitello.  Adames just said he was surprised about getting taken out.  Then there was Patrick Bailey batting with one out and runners at 1B and 2B and GIDPing, but Bailey was batting left against David Bednar RHP and there were no lefty batters on the bench.  

The Giants and Tony Vitello have a day off in San Diego to think about it all.  

Landen Roupp RHP starts game 1 of the series on Monday against Walker Buehler RHP which is another opportunity for second-guessing all by itself.  

Down on the Farm: 3/27/2026

AAA:  El Paso Chihuahuas mauled the Sacramento River Cats 9-3:

Bryce Eldridge 1B- 1 for 2, 3 BB.  BA= .500.

Will Brennan RF- 2 for 5.  BA= .400.

Victor Bericoto DH- 2 for 5.  BA= .400 

Grant McCray LF- 3 for 3, BB.  BA= 1.000.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 4 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 9.00

John Bertrand LHP- 3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 9.00.

Drew Gilbert went 1 for 4 and had the only XBH.  It's troubling that John Bertrand shut down the Giants lineup on Monday albeit mostly against reserves.  

Game Wrap 3/27/2026: Yankees 3 Giants 0

 

The Giants reached historic levels of run-scoring futility as they followed up a 3-hit shutout on Wednesday with a 1-hit shutout today adding 13 strikeouts in the process.   Key Lines:

Robbie Ray LHP- 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 3.38.  Ray pitched better than Logan Webb RHP on Wednesday but it didn't matter when a 9-inning shutout was required just to stay even.  

Heliot Ramos LF got the Giants only hit to go with one of the Giants 3 hits on Wednesday making him  the only Giants batter to get a hit in both games.

The #3 and #4 batters, Rafael Devers DH and Willy Adames SS struck out 3 times each.  

Per MCC per Duane Kuiper in his postgame comments, the 4 hits in these two losses are the fewest to start the season in the entire 144 years of franchise history and it ties the 1909 White Sox for fewest in all of MLB history.  

Per Sarah Langs, this is the first time in Yankees history they have shut out their opponent in each of the first two games of the season.

Per Z. Miller in the MCC Game Summary comments, Per Associated Press the 2026 Giants are the first team in MLB history to record 0 Runs on 5 hits or less in MLB history.

Tyler Mahle RHP tries to right the ship in Game 3 of the series tomorrow facing Will Warren RHP  Unfortunately it's one of those darn Fox Sports 4:15 PM starts.

Opening Day Game Wrap 3/25/2026: Yankees 7 Giants 0

 

The Yankees dominated the Giants in every phase of the game jumping on Logan Webb for all 7 of their runs, 6 earned, while completely shutting down the Giants lineup.  Key Lines:

Logan Webb RHP- 5 IP, 9 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 1 BB, 7 K's.  ERA= 10.80.  Mike Krukow thought Webb was tipping his pitches in the second inning.  Krukow knows pitching and I thought of that myself as the Yanks teed off on pitch after pitch.  He also did not command his pitches well.  One more angle which may or may not have any connection:  Webb has been rocked in both appearances after coming back from the WBC in which he pitched very well and showed no sign of injury.  Webb has a long history of early season struggles but this was the worst.  Hopefully he figures it out before his next start.

In the end it probably didn't matter how badly Webb pitched as the lineup managed just 3 hits, 2 walks, HBP and E and never came close to threatening to score after the first inning.  That should not happen to a lineup as high-priced as the Giants.   It continues to happen way too often and calls into question Buster Posey's roster construction, especially the players with 9-figure, long-term contracts.  

The Giants get a day to think about this one.  Robbie Ray LHP, the Giants best pitcher in in spring training, takes the mound Friday afternoon facing Cam Schlittler RHP in game 2 of the season.

Exhibition Game Wrap 3/24/2026: Giants 8 Sultanes 2

 Jung Hoo Lee's 3-run homer was the big hit in Landen Roupp's final preseason start.  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 1 for 1, HR, BB, R, 3 RBI.  Lee's big hit came after Devers and Adames drew walks and broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the 4'th inning.

Landen Roupp RHP- 5.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 6 K's.  The Giants will be happy if this is his average start for the season.

Michael Fulmer RHP- 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  I've lost track of who's been optioned or reassigned.  Is Fulmer still officially on the spring roster?

Blade Tidwell RHP- 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  Rough spring for Tidwell after drawing raves early in camp.  He finishes the preseason on a positive note.

Logan Webb RHP gets the Opening Day start against the Yankees in Oracle Park facing Max Fried LHP.  Game is televised but on Netflix at 5:05 PM PDT.