This week in SF Giants baseball: A final home stand before a much-needed All-Star break

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 30: Wilmer Flores #41 of the San Francisco Giants is greeted by teammates in the dugout after hitting a home-run during the fifth inning of the game against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 30, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)

The San Francisco Giants have battled stomach bugs in a foreign land. They made two separate round trips to the East Coast in the first two weeks of the season. They endured a five-hour rainless delay on getaway day. They will, by the end of the season, have traveled more miles than any team in baseball.

This might be their most taxing stretch of the season yet.

Because Sunday’s series finale at Citi Field was picked up by ESPN, the Giants weren’t scheduled to arrive home until well after midnight Monday. The first pitch was thrown at 7:10 p.m. ET, and it didn’t help matters that the game moved at a primetime pace: 3 hours, 17 minutes. After arriving around 4 a.m. local time in both cities from their past road trip, it will be more of the same for the Giants to start this home stand, with a 6:45 series opener followed by an Independence Day matinee.

“We’ve all got to go get some rest on the plane, as much as we possibly can, and these guys have to rest up and get back to the ballpark,” manager Gabe Kapler said before departing New York. “I think it’s a good opportunity for us to show some toughness here. Certainly the travel has not been easy. Thinking this next leg of travel is going to be equally challenging. Just a really good opportunity for us to step up and be tough through it and be together through it.”

The week ahead

Before Camilo Doval heads to Seattle next week, the Mariners pay a visit to Oracle Park for three games starting Monday night. After ending a 22-year playoff drought last season, the All-Star Game hosts have underwhelmed this year; starter Luis Castillo will be their only representative. However, they enter town following a series win over the MLB-best Tampa Bay Rays. The Giants will miss Castillo, but don’t miss the pitching matchup Monday night: It’s a homecoming for Seattle rookie Bryan Woo, a product of Alameda High, who will face off against another Northern California native in Logan Webb.

The Giants close the first half with a three-game weekend set against the Rockies. They can match a franchise record with a win Friday, which would be their 12th in a row over the NL West’s cellar dwellers.

Probable pitchers

Monday, 6:45 p.m. PT – RHP Logan Webb (7-7, 3.43) vs. RHP Bryan Woo (1-1, 4.37)

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR

Tuesday, 1:35 p.m. PT – TBA vs. RHP Logan Gilbert (5-5, 4.19)

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR

Wednesday, 6:45 p.m. PT – RHP Alex Cobb (5-3, 3.21) vs. RHP Bryce Miller (5-5, 3.97)

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR

Friday, 7:15 p.m. PT – TBA vs. LHP Austin Gomber (6-7, 6.64)*

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR

Saturday, 1:05 p.m. PT – TBA vs. LHP Kyle Freeland (4-8, 4.88)*

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR

Sunday, 1:05 p.m. PT – RHP Logan Webb (7-7, 3.43)* vs. RHP Chase Anderson (0-3, 6.50)*

TV: NBC Sports Bay Area; Radio: KNBR

*=unofficial

Three storylines to watch

1. Like, what even is a starter, man?: Take note of the number of TBAs listed above; it’s a fool’s endeavor to try to map out the Giants’ pitching plans beyond Logan Webb and Alex Cobb. They have had up to six starters working out of relief, but make no mistake: this isn’t a feature; it’s a bug. Besides Ross Stripling’s early struggles, he has missed time on the injured list, as has Alex Wood, as has Anthony DeSclafani, as has Cobb. Sean Manaea has only pitched well since moving to the bullpen, and Wood and DeSclafani have hardly been effective of late out of the rotation. Since the start of June, Giants starters have rank 20th in the majors in ERA (4.75). If Farhan Zaidi upgrades at the trade deadline, a frontline starting pitcher will be at the top of his list.

2. Score early (or, better yet, all the time): As they proved on this past road trip, not all holes are escapable. Dropping both series while going 2-4, the Giants were outscored 17-5 in innings 1-5, compared to an 11-7 advantage in innings 6-9. They scored first in only two of the games, and in one instance gave the lead right back in the bottom half. “It feels like the early innings have not been as fruitful and it feels like our at-bats can be better against the starter early in games,” Kapler said. “You want to score all the time. You want to limit runs all the time. But, sure, there’s some truth (there).”

3. Somebody named Patrick Bailey: Since he was called up May 19, the Giants’ 24-year-old catcher leads the team in: batting average (.314), slugging percentage (.542), RBIs (26), wRC+ (139) and fWAR (1.8). He is tied for the major-league lead among catchers in Defensive Runs Saved (7). The Giants are 23-12 when he appears in a game. This has been the first installment of Patrick Bailey Facts.

Who’s hot

C Patrick Bailey: 14-for-44, .318/.340/.523, 2 HR, 3 2B, 7 RBI, 2 BB, 12 K, active 18-game on-base streak

RHP Camilo Doval: 7.0 IP, 6 saves (6 opportunities), 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 3 H, 3 BB, 9 K

RHP Tyler Rogers: 8.2 IP, 7 games, 3.12 ERA, 10 hits, 0 BB, 11 K

Who’s not

IF Thairo Estrada: 7-for-47, .149/.231/.191, 2 2B, 3 BB, 15 K

IF J.D. Davis: 12-for-48, .250/.308/.292, 2 2B, 4 BB, 18 K

RHP Anthony DeSclafani: 14.0 IP, 3 games (3 starts), 0-2, 5.14 ERA, 16 H, 4 HR, 1 BB, 12 K

Injury report

1B LaMonte Wade Jr. (side/back tightness): Missed four of seven games on the past home stand and was out of the starting lineup in Giants’ final two games in New York, but entered Sunday as a pinch-hitter, was intentionally walked and played the final three innings in center field. Status: Day-to-day.

OF Michael Conforto (left hamstring tightness): Did not appear in the three-game series against his former team after tweaking his hamstring when his cleat got stuck on the turf while making a catch in Toronto. Not expected to return to the starting lineup Monday, Kapler said. Status: Day-to-day.

RHP Anthony DeSclafani (fatigue): Kapler said the Giants are “talking about” whether DeSclafani will make another start before the All-Star break, after the right-hander said after Saturday’s start that he was “running on fumes a little bit.” “A lot of players around the game feel what Tony said and he just said it,” Kapler said. “There might be some people who criticize, but I think it’s admirable to hear a player just tell you the truth.” DeSclafani missed most of last season after undergoing ankle surgery. Status: Day-to-day.

OF Mike Yastrzemski (left hamstring strain): No harm, no foul from a errant pitch that forced Yastrzemski from his first rehab game. Expected to be activated Monday, after going 0-for-5 with two walks and four strikeouts in two games with Triple-A Sacramento. Status: 10-day IL (Eligible: Now).

RHP John Brebbia (right lat strain): Continues to rehab in San Francisco. Status: 15-day IL (Eligible: Now).

LHP Scott Alexander (left hamstring strain): Threw one scoreless inning, walking one and striking out one, in a rehab outing Sunday in Sacramento. Status: 15-day IL (Eligible: Wednesday).

RHP Luke Jackson (low back strain): Continues to rehab in San Francisco. Status: 15-day IL (Eligible: July 10).

Last week in Giants baseball

Originally published at Evan Webeck