7/24 gamethread: Giants at Dodgers

Opening Day did not go as planned for the San Francisco Giants. It did, however, go as expected, as they fell 8-1 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And so we move on the second game of the season, which features the surprising decision to start Tyler Anderson.

Game #2

Who: San Francisco Giants (0-1) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1-0)
Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California
When: 6:40 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)
National broadcast: None
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM

Lineups

The Dodgers are using a right-handed starter again, so the Giants lineup looks very similar. Seven of the nine hitters in the Opening Day lineup are in this one, with the only changes being Rob Brantly and Jaylin Davis replacing Tyler Heineman and Hunter Pence.

Here’s who Gabe Kapler is sending out — stats are from 2019, with 2020 performance in parenthesis.

1. CF — Mike Yastrzemski (L) — .272/.334/.518, 121 wRC+ (2-4)
2. 3B — Wilmer Flores (R) — .317/.361/.487, 120 wRC+ (1-4)
3. 1B — Pablo Sandoval (S) — .268/.313/.507, 110 wRC+ (1-3)
4. DH — Alex Dickerson (L) — .276/.332/.489, 113 wRC+ (2-4)
5. LF — Joe McCarthy (L) — N/A (0-4)
6. 2B — Mauricio Dubón (R) — .274/.306/.434, 95 wRC+ (0-3)
7. SS — Brandon Crawford (L) — .228/.304/.350, 74 wRC+ (0-2)
8. RF — Jaylin Davis (R) — .167/.255/.238, 39 wRC+ (47 PAs)
9. C — Rob Brantly (L) — N/A (career: .229/.294/.332, 72 wRC+)
   LHP — Tyler Anderson — 11.76 ERA, 7.62 FIP, 23 Ks and 11 BBs in 20.2 IP

And here’s Dave Roberts’ lineup which, coincidentally enough, is still terrifying.

1. RF — Mookie Betts (R) — .295/.391/.524, 135 wRC+ (1-5)
2. 1B — Max Muncy (L) — .251/..374/.515, 134 wRC+ (1-4)
3. 3B — Justin Turner (R) — .290/.372/.509, 132 wRC+ (1-4)
4. CF — Cody Bellinger (L) — .305/.406/.629, 162 wRC+ (1-4)
5. 2B — Kiké Hernández (R) — .237/.304/.411, 88 wRC+ (4-5)
6. SS — Corey Seager (L) — .272/.335/.483, 113 wRC+ (1-5)
7. LF — Chris Taylor (R) — .262/.333/.462, 107 wRC+
8. DH — Joc Pederson (L) — .249/.339/.538, 127 wRC+ (1-3)
9. C — Will Smith (R) — .253/.337/.571, 132 wRC+
   RHP — Ross Stripling — 3.47 ERA, 3.47 FIP, 93 Ks and 20 BBs in 90.2 IP

Notes

Reverse splits: The Giants don’t have enough left-handed hitters to put out an all-lefty lineup against right-handed pitchers, which is leading to Jaylin Davis getting his first start of the year. Asked why Davis got the nod over other righties such as Darin Ruf, Austin Slater, and Hunter Pence, manager Gabe Kapler pointed to the reverse splits that both he and Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling have.

Black Lives Matter: Admittedly we’re not far into the season, but thankfully the Giants have not taken their food off the gas when it comes to their messages of fighting against racial injustice and systemic oppression.

Happy birthday, GOAT: Happy 56th birthday to Barry Bonds, who would probably be batting cleanup for the Giants tonight if suited up.

Enjoy the baseball!