Giants @ Phillies, 8/1

Happy 30th Birthday, Madison Bumgarner! Your gift is that you get to remain with your original team and for at least a few more months stave off the existential dread that comes from the end of one’s twenties.

I’m pretty sure my 30th birthday was a low-key affair, but I still felt young. On the morning of my 33rd birthday, though, that’s when I felt it. Tired in a weird way and, suddenly, keenly aware of my mortality.

Jake Arrieta has to be aware of his mortality these days as he’s decided it’s better to pitch with bone chips or bone spurs in his pitching elbow than risk missing any time from surgery. He’s made three starts since that announcement (July 10th) and is 0-1 with a 3.45 ERA in 15.2 IP. He’s given up 15 hits and struck out 10 while walking seven. Just one home run allowed, too.

2B — Cesar Hernandez
SS — Jean Segura
1B — Rhys Hoskins
RF — Bryce Harper
C — J.T. Realmuto
CF — Scott Kingery
LF — Adam Haseley
3B — Maikel Franco
SP — Jake Arrieta

Meanwhile, the Giants lost perhaps their greatest home run threat as Alex Dickerson was placed on the 10-day IL before the start of the game with an oblique strain. The team claims it’s a “mild” oblique strain, but that’s an injury that can derail a hitter’s season if not his career. Big Dickerson energy will surely be diminished for at least the next month, even if he’s expected to miss just the minimum time. Alas!

1B — Brandon Belt
LF — Mike Yastrzemski
3B — Pablo Sandoval
C — Stephen Vogt
SS — Brandon Crawford
CF — Kevin Pillar
2B — Joe Panik
RF — Austin Slater
SP — Dereck Rodriguez