Giants at Padres
After turning in a record-setting performance on Opening Day, ace Madison Bumgarner may need another stellar effort against the host San Diego Padres on Saturday to get the San Francisco Giants back in the win column. Much like last season, the bullpen has been a primary concern for the Giants, who have dropped four of their first five games.
Rookie Manuel Margot belted two homers in Friday’s 7-6 win as the Padres rallied for three runs in the seventh inning against Giants reliever George Kontos. Yangervis Solarte collected three hits and four RBIs for the Padres, who opened the season by dropping three of four against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. San Diego faces an uphill battle against Bumgarner, who allowed three runs and struck out 11 without issuing a walk over seven innings versus Arizona on Sunday. The 27-year-old became the first pitcher in major-league history to hit two home runs in a season opener but settled for a no-decision after the Giants' beleaguered bullpen squandered a late lead.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Bay Area Plus (San Francisco), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (0-0, 3.86 ERA) vs. Padres RH Jhoulys Chacin (0-1, 24.30)
Bumgarner retired the first 16 batters he faced in the season opener and became the first pitcher to record five perfect innings on Opening Day since J.R. Richard in 1980. “That's the best I felt in a long time," Bumgarner told reporters. Wil Myers is 5-for-26 with a home run against the four-time All-Star, who has gone 10-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 28 career games (27 starts) versus San Diego.
Chacin struggled in his debut for San Diego on Monday, allowing nine runs on eight hits and two walks over 3 1/3 innings in a loss to the Dodgers. The 29-year-old pitched for four different teams over the previous three seasons but landed in the Padres' rotation after signing a one-year contract during the offseason. Buster Posey is 9-for-19 with a home run against Chacin, who is 5-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 15 career games (14 starts) versus San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. San Francisco OF Denard Span (hip) appeared as a pinch-hitter in the series opener and could return to the starting lineup Saturday.
2. The Padres placed C Hector Sanchez on the 7-day concussion disabled list, transferred OF Alex Dickerson (back) to the 60-day DL and purchased the contract of OF Jabari Blash from Triple-A El Paso.
3. Giants LHP Steven Okert was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to replace RHP Hunter Strickland, who was placed on paternity leave.