Game Wrap 8/8/2026: Tigers 8 Giants 0

This game was competitive, at least on the pitching side, until the 7'th inning when a pair of auditioning relievers, Trent Harris RHP and Reiver Sanmartin LHP gave up a 6-spot.  The Giants lineup managed just 3 baserunners in the entire game.  Key Lines:

Landen Roupp RHP- 5.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 5 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 4.22.  3 of the 5 walks came in the 6'th and the run came in when reliever Keaton Winn walked a 4'th batter in the inning.  Other than that, it was Roupp's best start out of this last 3.  I didn't see the game because it wasn't shown on Fox down here in SoCal but I've read there was some sort of disrespect from Roupp when Manager Tony Vitello took him out.  If so, Roupp might have had a point because he got out of a base-loaded jam in the 2'nd inning and he was only at 85 pitches, although taking him out is what most managers would do in that situation.  

The 7'th inning meltdown was exacerbated by a fly ball Drew Gilbert CF lost in the Sun with his shades on his hat.  

In the immortal words of Taylor Swift, the Giants will try to shake it off and win the series today with Logan Webb RHP facing Troy Melton RHP who comes in with a 1.58 ERA.

Down on the Farm: 8/7/2026

AAA:  Round Rock Express defeated the the Sacramento River Cats 7-1.

Parks Harber 3B- 1 for 4, HR(5).  BA= .325.

Spencer Bivens RHP- 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 3.92.

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

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels outscored the Reading Fightin' Phils 10-9.

Dayson Croes DH- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .252.

Gavin Kilen SS- 2 for 4, BB.  BA= .328.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 2 for 5.  BA= .249.

Jack Payton RF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .288.

Jose Astudillo LF- 2 for 5.  BA= .400.

Esmerlin Vinicio LHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Jose Astudillo moves up to AA, his second promotion this season. Esmerlin Vinicio also moves up to AA.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds topped the Spokane Indians 4-2.

Lisbel Diaz CF- 1 for 4, HR(17), BB.  BA= .283.

Hayden Jatczak DH- 1 for 3, 2 BB.  BA= .300.

Walker Martin 3B- 2 for 4.  BA= .237.

Cam Maldonado RF- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .250.

Onil Perez C- 1 for 3, 2B, HBP.  BA= .240.

Nate Nabholz RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 0.00.

Cam Maldonado moves up to A+.  

A:  San Jose Giants shut out the Stockton Ports 9-0.

Josuar Gonzalez SS- 2 for 5, 3B, BB.  BA= .324.

Lorenzo Meola 2B- 3 for 5, 2B, SB(15).  BA= .261.

Junior Barajas C- 2 for 5.  BA= .260.

Tanner Mally RF- 2 for 5.  BA= .400.

Andy Polanco CF- 2 for 3, BB, HBP, SB(32).  BA= .276.

Angel Guzman DH- 2 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .212.

Broedy Poppell LF- 1 for 3, 2B, 2 BB.  BA= .225.

Tanner Mally was the Giants 17'th round draft pick.  D1 batting champ with a .446 BA. No power.

DSL:  Giants Orange crushed Blue Jays Blue 8-5.

Israel Alfonse DH(17 yo)- 1 for 3, HR(1).  BA= .333.

Yeison Oviedo SS- 2 for 5.  BA= .340.

Omar Calcurian RHP- 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.86.

Kelvin Silva RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 3.12.

Israel Alfonse plays his first pro game.

DSL:  Giants Black smashed the Nationals 9-2.

Joniel Hernandez SS- 1 for 4, BB.  BA= .323.

Keiberg Camacaro 2B- 2 for 5, HR(6).  BA= .352.

Diego Alambarrio C- 1 for 3, BB, SB(3).  BA= .267.

Luis Hernandez RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 1 K, 9/3 GO/AO.  ERA= 5.25.

Lender Bracho RHP- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 2.08.

Game Wrap 8/7/2026: Giants 5 Tigers 2

Rafael Devers and Willy Adames led the lineup and Tony Vitello used an Opener for the first time and somewhere Gabe Kapler and Farhan Zaidi are out there laughing to themselves.  Key Lines:

Jung Hoo Lee RF- 1 for 3, BB, R, 2 RBI.  BA= .303.  Lee walked ahead of Devers HR in the first inning then delivered a 2-out, bases-loaded single in the second inning to account for 3 of the Giants 5 runs.

Rafael Devers 1B- 1 for 4, HR(24), R, 2 RBI.  BA= .248.  Devers looks like a lock to surpass 30 HR's for the 5'th time in his career and in his first full season as a Giant despite Oracle Park suppressing left-hitting HR's more than any other ballpark.  

Willy Adames SS- 1 for 4, HR(19), R, RBI.  BA= .221.  Adames his on a pace to hit 26 HR's but He's generally a strong finisher so has an outside shot at 30 also.

Adrian Houser RHP- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.55.  The matchup theory doesn't really hold water for why Vitello used an Opener as 2 of the first 3 Tigers batters hit from the right side and J. T. Brubaker is also a RHP.  Maybe it was just to maintain the feel of entering the game without the standard pregame ritual for a SP but it worked as Houser allowed just 1 run in 5 IP and recorded the win, just his third of the season.

Landen Roupp RHP tries to clinch a series win in a 4:15 PM Fox game facing Jackson Jobe RHP who makes his first start of the season and first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last season.

Mike Krukow Announces Retirement

We got sad but not unexpected news yesterday that Mike Krukow will retire from his longtime position as color commentator on the Giants TV broadcast, sadly for medical reasons which we have all known about for a long time.  Most of that time he was partnered with his former Giants teammate Duane Kuiper in what has to be one of the most, if not THE most, broadcast partnerships in baseball broadcast history.  I've always found it remarkable that these two guys started prepping for their broadcast careers by sitting together in the dugout as players and practicing calling the game their team was playing.  That hard work paid off in a broadcast routine that never got old.  

Over the years we were treated to a whole vocabulary of Krukisms:  "Grab some pine, meat!", "that was a rough at bat!", "he rolls out of bed throwing hundos!", "that's a big league knock!" "he really got both cheeks into that one!" and many more.  Nobody else has those.  

While they had their funny side, the thing I liked about Kruk and Kuip is how they used their time in the broadcast booth to teach the game.  Kruk didn't just offer opinions and analysis.  He explained WHY he had those opinions.  He explained the thinking of both the pitcher and batter, not just in key situations, on almost every pitch.  Watching and listening to their broadcasts was like sitting in a classroom where a class in baseball theory was taught.  

Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper both deserve to be in the Hall of Fame for their broadcasts and they should go in together.  This post shows how impossible it is to talk about either of them without the other.  Mike Krukow's retirement.  We have truly reached the end of an era in the history of Giants baseball. 

Down on the Farm: 8/6/2026

 AAA:  Round Rock Express defeated the Sacramento River Cats 5-2.

Jonah Cox CF- 3 for 5, 2B.  BA= .469.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 2 for 3, 2B, BB.  BA= .571.

Seth Lonsway LHP- 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 6 K's.  ERA= 6.07.

AA:  Reading Fightin' Phils downed the Richmond Flying Squirrels 6-4(Game 1 of doubleheader, 7 innings).

Gavin Kilen SS- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .317.

Jack Payton LF- 2 for 2, BB.  BA= .283.

Trystan Vrieling RHP- 5 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K's, 6/2 GO/AO.  ERA= 3.99.

AA:  Reading Fightin' Phils smacked the Richmond Flying Squirrels 8-3(Game 2 of doubleheader, 7 innings).  

Nothing To See Here.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds outlasted the Spokane Indians 15-10(10 innings).

Jhonny Level SS- 4 for 5, 2 BB.  BA= .299.

Zander Darby LF- 2 for 7, 2B.  BA= .271.

Lisbel Diaz CF- 5 for 6, 2B, BB.  BA= .284.

Hayden Jatczak 1B- 3 for 6, 2B.  BA= .298.

Jose Ramos RF- 2 for 5, BB.  BA= .300.

Henry Lalane LHP- 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 1.93.

Marty Gair RHP- 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

Fairly successful first game as a Giants prospect for Henry Lalane.  Excellent relief work by newcomer Marty Gair.  Video game lines by some of the batters.

A:  Stockton Ports destroyed the San Jose Giants 19-6.

Josuar Gonzalez SS- 3 for 5, HR(2).  BA= .310.

Luis Hernandez 3B- 2 for 5.  BA= .190.

Junior Barajas C- 3 for 5, HR(12).  BA= .257.

Andy Polanco CF- 3 for 5.  BA= .272.

Sam Knowlton RHP- 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K's.  ERA= 7.36.

Chen-Hsun Lee RHP- 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 0.00.

SJ Giants hitting has been really, really good this season and the pitching really, really bad.

DSL:  Giants Orange beat Pirates Gold 7-4(7 innings).

Yeison Oviedo 3B- 2 for 3, Sac.  BA= .338.

Ricardo Crespo LF- 1 for 2, 2B, 2 BB, SB(7).   BA= .270.

Deivis Colmenarez C- 1 for 1, 2B, BB, HBP, SB(1).  BA= .167.

Abraham Utrera RHP- 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K's.  ERA= 7.36.

Jhon Leon RHP- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.50.

Down on the Farm: 8/5/2026

 AAA:  Round Rock Express outlasted the Sacramento River Cats 13-10(11 innings).

Jonah Cox DH- 3 for 5, BB, 2 SB(6).  BA= .444.

Scott Bandura RF- 3 for 5, 2 2B, BB, SB(15).  BA= .303.

Victor Bericoto LF- 1 for 3, 2B.  BA= .300.

Turner Hill CF- 3 for 5, HR(8).  BA= .348.

Diego Velasquez 2B- 2 for 4.  BA= .500.

Braxton Roxby RHP- 3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K.  ERA= 3.97.

Victor Bericoto starts a rehab assignment.  Diego Velasquez picks up in AAA where he left off in AA with 2 singles.

AA:  Richmond Flying Squirrels topped the Reading Fightin' Phils 6-5.

Trevor Cohen CF- 3 for 5, SB(9).  BA= .366.

Charlie Szykowny 3B- 1 for 3, HR(12), BB.  BA= .247.

Jancel Villaroel C- 1 for 4, HR(1).  BA= .138.

Jack Payton DH- 2 for 4.  BA= .276.

Maui Ahuna 2B- 1 for 2, 2 BB, SB(18).  BA= .221.

Greg Farone LHP- 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K's.  ERA= 5.78.

Dale Stanovich LHP- 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K's.  ERA= 4.23.

Greg Farone has allowed 2 runs or less in 4 of his last 5 starts and has a 3.46 ERA in that span despite giving up 6 runs in 3.1 IP in one of those games.

A+:  Eugene Emeralds defeated the Spokane Indians 5-1.

Jhonny Level SS- 2 for 3, 3B, HR(6), 2 BB.  BA= .286.

Walker Martin 3B- 2 for 5, 2 HR(17).  BA= .234.

Lisbel Diaz CF- 1 for 4, HR(16).  BA= .273.

Jacob Bresnahan LHP- 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 5 K's, 9/0 GO/AO.  ERA= 2.72.

There are so many great things going on in the Giants farm system it's easy to forget what a great season Jhonny Level is having.  As long as it's promotion season, isn't it about time to move Jacob Bresnahan up to AA?

A:  Stockton Ports beat the San Jose Giants 11-6(10 innings).

Luis Hernandez SS- 2 for 5, 2B, BB.  BA= .162.

Lorenzo Meola 2B- 2 for 6, 2B(33).  BA= .256.

Jeremiah Jenkins 1B- 3 for 3, 2B, HR(15), 2 HBP.  BA= 245.

Andy Polanco CF- 2 for 5, 2B.  BA= .267.

Oliver Tejada LF- 1 for 5, HR(4).  BA= .193.

DSL:  Tigers1 downed Giants Black 6-3(7 innings).

Joniel Hernandez SS- 1 for 2, HR(5), BB.  BA= .325.

Alessandro Duran 1B- 2 for 3, 2B.  BA= .304.

Delvis Heredia RHP- 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 4.98.

Want something to be excited about?  Joniel Hernandez is 3 for 5 with a double, HR and 2 SB in his first two games as a Giant.  He may end up making Buster's trade deadline all by himself.

Game Wrap 8/5/2026: Rangers 6 Giants 0

Carson Whisenhunt looked like he was settling into a groove until the lineup turned over, then the wheels came off.  Meanwhile the lineup generated a couple of firsts but otherwise failed to mount a serious threat in a glaring talent mismatch.  Key Lines:

Eddys Leonard LF- 1 for 3, 2B.  BA= .200.  Leonard's first MLB hit was not a cheapie as he roped a line drive over the head of the Rangers leftfielder and off the wall for an easy double which he ran out with with a huge smile on his face the whole way.

Drew Cavanaugh C- 2 for 4, 2B.  BA= .250.  Cavanaugh's 14'th hit of his MLB career went for XBH after 13 singles.  He is batting .294 over his last 7 games and .313 over his last 15.

Carson Whisenhunt LHP- 3.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 4 K's.  ERA= 7.25.  Whiz looked great through 2.1 IP as he was hitting the corners at the knees with his FB and getting swing throughs on fading changeup, also at the knees.  Then the leadoff hitter, Wyatt Langford, came up for the second time in the game and everything fell apart.  The Rangers scored 4 times in the third inning and Tony Vitello went to the bullpen when he walked the second batter in the 4'th inning.  

The Giants get a day to rest up from the road trip tomorrow before starting a weekend home series agains the Tigers with TBD facing TBD.  We are likely to see a lot of TBD's and competitive mismatches over the final two months of the season.