Another day, another injury for
the San Francisco Giants, who will be without second baseman Joe Panik for the
next few games due to a sprained left thumb. The struggling Giants have lost 12
of their last 17 games heading into Saturday’s contest against the visiting Minnesota
Twins, who opened the three-game series Friday with a 4-0 victory.
Aaron Hill went 1-for-2 with a walk on Friday while starting in place of Panik, who is expected to avoid the disabled list. The Giants have hit a league-low 48 home runs and need more production from veterans such as Denard Span (.263), Hunter Pence (.234) and first baseman Brandon Belt, who leads the team with 10 homers but is hitting .231 after going 0-for-4 on Friday. Minnesota has received a surprising spark from catcher Jason Castro, who brings an 11-game hitting streak into Saturday’s contest. Outfielder Robbie Grossman was 3-for-4 on Friday and has made a case for more playing time with his hot hitting early this month.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Twins RH Jose Berrios (4-1, 2.76 ERA) vs. Giants RH Jeff Samardzija (2-7, 4.29)
Berrios won for the fourth time in his first five starts last Sunday by holding the Angels to two runs on six hits over six innings. The 23-year-old native of Puerto Rico is showing flashes of his star potential after going 3-7 with an 8.02 ERA in 14 starts as a rookie last season. Berrios, who is facing San Francisco for the first time, has gone 5-2 with a 3.11 ERA and 38 strikeouts in his last eight starts dating back to last season.
Samardzija continued to impress last Monday against Milwaukee, allowing two runs (one earned) with 10 strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings. “He just pitched a terrific game,” manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. “He had good command, good velocity. Great changeup, cutter too. He had it all going on.” Samardzija, who has 59 strikeouts against one walk in his last seven starts, owns a 4-1 record and 5.21 ERA in six career outings against the Twins.
WALK-OFFS1. Minnesota rookie RHP Nik Turley will start Sunday’s series finale in place of LHP Hector Santiago (shoulder).
2. The Giants optioned INF/OF Orlando Calixte to Triple-A Sacramento and added RHP Sam Dyson to the roster.
3. Twins 2B Brian Dozier has hit safely in 16 of his last 18 interleague games.