Bader Bops Big One

SF 10  ATH 1 

Can Harrison Bader be a better batter? And if Bader can be a better batter, how much better of a batter can Bader be? Overall Bader bats .245/.309/.399 for his career but so far Bader has only batted .153/.184/.531 and bow-howdy ya gotta love that SLG%. But Bader's bat oughtta get better going forward.

The Giants got a solid start (6 IP, 1 R) for the second day in a row, this time it was Adrian Houser. He worked around five walks and the bats backed him up with a couple of early runs. The eight-run 8th, fueled by Bader's grand slam, sealed the deal.

Luis Arraez had three more hits and is now rolling out a nice .328 batting average, fifth-best in MLB. He hit his first homer Friday and his second today. With 13 walks, nine doubles, and two triples, his OBP (.370) and SLG (.437) are trending upward. Add his solid glove and "La Regadera" is the team WAR leader.

The team travels to Arizona for three against the Diamondbacks. Tomorrow night is at 6:40 PT and will feature Robbie Ray and Zac Gallen.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

 

p.s. It means "The Sprinkler" (he sprays his hits all over the field).

Silver lining

SF 6  ATH 4

The Giants snap their three-game skid behind a great performances from Trevor McDonald (6 IP, 1 R) and Casey Schmitt (4-for-5, 2 HR). This lousy season needs a silver lining and perhaps the "youth brigade" will supply it.

The 25-year old McDonald was an 11th-round high school pick in 2019. He made his debut in 2024 with three scoreless innings and then had three appearances (two starts) in 2025 including a win over the Dodgers.

The 27-year old Schmitt was a 2nd-round pick in 2020 from San Diego State. He debuted in 2023 and has been a league average hitter over that time. This season (mostly as DH) he's slashing .293/.342/.536  which is good for a team-leading 130 OPS+ (and 147 wRC+).

Heliot Ramos goes on the IL and Will Brennan takes his spot. Today's game is at 1:05 PT.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

OMG

SF 6  LA 2

So it's cliché to say "who are these guys" don't you think? We've covered that ground. Perhaps it is time to say "they are finally playing like we hoped they would." That feels good. I want to believe that. At this point, it matters not. What I believe, that is. It matters that the Giants pulled their heads out of their giant collective ass and played some serious baseball in LA for the second night in a row.

That matters. What I believe, as I said, matters not. I'm taking a vow of agnosticism. I have no idea what to believe. I'll believe whatever works.

Tonight worked. Adrian Houser had some early wobbles but he kept it together and pulled off a very McDonaldian start. The Dodgers have a ridiculous lineup but Giants starters have kept it in check on back-to-back nights. LA hitters still have pop of course, and still string together rallies. And they always seem to turn the lineup over and force you to face the best at the end. But Giants pitchers have risen to the occasion and gotten it done. Tonight Caleb Killian went into full beast mode to get a four-out save.

Eric Haase was the hitting hero with two homers off Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Harrison Bader also popped one off the Dodgers starter. Those guys hit in the eighth and ninth spots! The game-breaking 7th inning rally featured an RBI bunt from Drew Gilbert and a clutch two-run double from Jung Hoo Lee.

It was a great team effort and a really fun game.

Life is better when the Giants win. Life is mo' better when those wins come in LA.

Robbie Ray and Shohei Ohtani tomorrow night at 7:10 PT.

GO GIANTS!!

--M.C.

Umm, yeah, okay, I like it

SF 9  LA 3

I don't know who those guys were wearing Giants road grays tonight in Los Angeles but I think we oughtta keep 'em around. Yikes! TWELVE hits? SIX walks? NINE runs? NO errors? SCORELESS relief? Against the defending (2x) World Series winners?

Wow. This trip is a trip, man.

Nice to see Rafael Devers getting some big hits and being a "middle of the order presence." And this Trevor McDonald guy really nutted up. Let's see some more of that!

This team plays some of the stupidest baseball I've ever seen for almost one-fourth of the season and then they go down to SoCal and whip the Dodgers.

I'm really confused, but it's all good. That was a hell of a win!

Three more to go. Adrian Houser tomorrow night at 7:10 Pacific.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Don't take the brown acid

SF 7  PIT 6 (12)

It's great to see the team get a big win and take a series, but I'm convinced that 2026 is bad trip. One of those benders where whatever you've gobbled was too much and there is no going back. All you can do is hang on, stayed clothed, and try not to vom.

In the end, it will likely be OK. You might have to do the ol' "I apologize for my behavior" routine to a few friends and possibly former friends, but that's life. In fact, it might turn out better than OK. Just 'cause you missed a portion due to personal excess shouldn't get you down. I mean, how many people at Woodstock actually remember having a good time? (I was nine at the time. Woodstock was that bird in Peanuts, right?)

Anyway, it was about as nutty a ballgame that you can conjure up. It was a bizarre, impossible game. Somehow the Giants won. I'm not really sure how. It seemed Heliot Ramos was intent on running the wrong way more than once. There was other weird shit, too. But we'll forget that for now. The Giants need wins, and today was a win.

Up next is four night games (all at 7:10 PT) in LA against the you-know-whos. Should be Trevor McDonald (in Logan Webb's spot) tomorrow.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

Another win!

SF 5  PIT 2

The Giants banged out a dozen hits but ten of them were singles. A homer by Rafael Devers and a double by Heliot Ramos were the only ones that went for extra bases. It was a bit agonizing to watch them put guys on and not drive them in but finally in the 7th they broke through and put up a three-spot to take charge of the game. Luis Arraez had the big hit. Robbie Ray did his usual pitching ugly but it was effective (6 IP, 7K) and he allowed just one run. Excellent relief from Keaton Winn and Matt Gage kept the lid on until the 9th. Caleb Killian struggled but after allowing a run and stranding two guys he finally nailed it down.

Looks like Landen Roupp this evening (6:06 PT). Day game (1:05 ) tomorrow.

Go Giants!

--M.C.

2nd inning: 8-10

1st inning: 6-12

2nd inning: 8-10

It's an improvement, but not by much. And then they went out and lost yesterday. The Giants are tied with the Rockies (14-23, .378) for last place and for the worst record. Their -42 run difference is the worst in baseball.

Not much more to say about that, is there?

--M.C.