Giants at Padres
Nearly three months after landing on the disabled list, Madison Bumgarner is set to return Saturday as the San Francisco Giants continue their three-game series against the host San Diego Padres. The Giants are moving veteran Matt Cain to the bullpen to accommodate Bumgarner, who injured his shoulder and ribs in a dirt-bike accident in April but looked sharp in a minor-league rehab start on Monday.
"His intensity, his presence, all that, trust me, I'm hoping things like this are a shot in the arm for the club," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told reporters. "We just really had a horrible (first) half. Getting guys back hopefully will do a lot for the psyche of the club." San Francisco snapped a four-game losing streak with Friday’s 5-4 victory as Gorkys Hernandez recorded a career-high four hits and closer Sam Dyson escaped a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning. Dyson ended the game by retiring Jabari Blash, who was recalled from Triple-A El Paso earlier in the day after Hunter Renfroe was placed on the disabled list with a strained neck. Renfroe’s injury caused manager Andy Green to move Wil Myers from the leadoff spot to No. 3 in the order, where he went 1-for-4 on Friday.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, NBCSN Bay Area (San Francisco), FSN San Diego
PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (0-3, 3.00 ERA) vs. Padres RH Jhoulys Chacin (8-7, 4.32)
Bumgarner pronounced himself ready after allowing two hits over six scoreless innings in a rehab start for Single-A San Jose on Monday. The four-time All-Star, who landed on the disabled list for the first time in his career, also serves as a threat at the plate with 14 home runs over the last four seasons. Myers is 5-for-30 with seven strikeouts against Bumgarner, who is 0-3 with a 4.73 ERA in his last four starts against the Padres but tossed a complete game in his last outing on April 8.
Chacin won his second straight outing last Saturday, holding Philadelphia to one run and three hits over 6 1/3 innings. The 29-year-old continues to exceed expectations, allowing fewer than three earned runs in seven of his last 10 starts. Buster Posey is 9-for-25 with one homer against Chacin, who has posted a 1.68 ERA in nine starts at Petco Park this season and owns a 7-6 record and 3.33 ERA in 17 career games (16 starts) versus San Francisco.
WALK-OFFS
1. Padres RHP Brandon Maurer has converted 14 straight save opportunities since May 28.
2. Giants INF Eduardo Nunez (hamstring) was activated from the disabled list prior to Friday’s game and doubled in five at-bats.
3. The Padres placed Kirby Yates on paternity leave and recalled fellow RHP Jose Valdez from Triple-A El Paso.