Diamondbacks at Giants
The red-hot San Francisco Giants will have their ace on the mound for the first time this season Tuesday as Madison Bumgarner makes his 2018 debut in the middle contest of a three-game series against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks. Bumgarner has made a pair of rehab starts since undergoing surgery on his fractured left hand, allowing one run and two hits with one walk and 15 strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings.
The Giants will be seeking their sixth consecutive victory after trouncing Arizona 10-3 in the series opener on Monday. San Francisco belted four homers, including two during a seven-run fourth inning, while Pablo Sandoval went 3-for-4 with a blast and two RBIs as the Giants improved to 4-0 on their six-game homestand. The Diamondbacks had won three straight prior to the series opener, allowing a total of four runs in a sweep over Miami. Ketel Marte has been swinging a hot bat for Arizona, going 6-for-13 with two doubles, two triples, two homers and six RBIs during his four-game hitting streak to start the month.
TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Arizona, NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (5-2, 2.99 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (2017: 4-9, 3.32)
Corbin reached double digits in strikeouts (10) for the third time this season Wednesday against Cincinnati but suffered the loss as he was battered for six runs and eight hits in six innings. The 28-year-old New Yorker has won just one of his last seven turns despite giving up fewer than three runs on four occasions and three on another in that span. Corbin is 6-7 with two complete games and a 3.16 ERA in 21 career games (19 starts) against San Francisco after tossing his first career shutout - a one-hitter - in his second start of the season versus the Giants on April 17 at home.
Bumgarner will be making his first start since Sept. 23, when he allowed one run and five hits over 7 2/3 innings in a victory at the Los Angeles Dodgers. That triumph ended a four-start losing streak for the 28-year-old native of North Carolina, who was just 2-5 with a 3.40 ERA in eight turns at home last season. Bumgarner is 9-10 with one shutout and a 2.58 ERA in 29 career starts and one relief appearance against Arizona after going 0-3 in four outings in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. Diamondbacks RHP Shelby Miller (elbow) will continue his rehab assignment with Double-A Jackson as he makes his way back from Tommy John surgery.
2. San Francisco lost LHP D.J. Snelten, who was claimed off waivers by Baltimore on Monday after posting a 10.38 ERA in four relief appearances earlier this season - his first in the major leagues.
3. Arizona purchased the contract of 3B Kristopher Negron from Triple-A Reno and optioned OF Socrates Brito to the Aces.