5/14 Gamethread: Giants @ Diamondbacks

Happy Mother’s Day!

The San Francisco Giants close out a series with the Arizona Diamondbacks today, and it feels like a fairly important game, as the Giants trail the four-game series 2-1. Splitting a series, on the road, against a quite hot team in your division, is a win. Losing a four-game series, against anyone, in any circumstance, is a loss.

Thankfully they have the pitching advantage. The Giants are giving the ball to righty Logan Webb, who enters the game with a 3-5 record, a 3.86 ERA, a 3.69 FIP, and 55 strikeouts to eight walks in 52 innings. After starting the season slow, Webb has hit his stride, and has pitched at least 6.2 innings with two or fewer runs allowed in four straight starts.

On the other side is righty Brandon Pfaadt. If you’re wondering how to say that name, it’s pronounced like “fought.” Pfaadt, a 24 year old, is making just his third MLB appearance. The D-Backs are hoping it goes better than the first two, which means the Giants are hoping it goes just like the first two. In 9.2 innings he’s given up 16 hits, three walks, and 13 earned runs. A day after the Giants faced Zac Gallen, who strikeouts out everyone and rarely allows dingers, they’re facing a rookie who’s the opposite: in those 9.2 innings, Pfaadt has only had six strikeouts ... and has given up six home runs.

Opportunity presents itself. It’s time to strike.

Also of note: the Giants made an easy-to-predict move ahead of the game. Brandon Crawford has been reinstated from the Injured List, while David Villar has been optioned to AAA Sacramento. Also, we get our first look at Casey Schmitt playing third base, where he won the Gold Glove Award in the Minor Leagues last year.

Lineups

Giants

1. LaMonte Wade Jr. (L) — 1B — 166 OPS+
2. Thairo Estrada (R) — 2B — 129 OPS+
3. Michael Conforto (L) — RF — 88 OPS+
4. J.D. Davis (R) — DH — 137 OPS+
5. Blake Sabol (L) — LF — 111 OPS+
6. Casey Schmitt (R) — 3B — 317 OPS+
7. Brandon Crawford (L) — SS — 62 OPS+
8. Joey Bart (R) — C — 69 OPS+
9. Brett Wisely (L) — CF — 21 OPS+

P. Logan Webb — RHP — 3.69 FIP

Diamondbacks

1. Josh Rojas (L) — 3B — 83 OPS+
2. Ketel Marte (S) — 2B — 121 OPS+
3. Corbin Carroll (L) — RF — 131 OPS+
4. Christian Walker (R) — 1B — 125 OPS+
5. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (R) — LF — 143 OPS+
6. Pavin Smith (L) — DH — 139 OPS+
7. Dominic Fletcher (L) — CF — 236 OPS+
8. Gabriel Moreno (R) — C — 99 OPS+
9. Geraldo Perdomo (S) — SS — 162 OPS+

P. Brandon Pfaadt — RHP — 11.05 FIP

Game #40

Who: San Francisco Giants (17-22) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (22-18)

Where: Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona

When: 1:10 p.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM