Cobb, Giants look to get back on track in Arizona

After winning two-straight series, the San Francisco Giants dropped a three-game set to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday as Sean Manaea’s struggles continued.

Manaea allowed eight runs (four earned) over 2.2 innings as the Nationals jumped out to an 8-0 lead before the bottom of the third inning. Washington ended the series with an 11-6 win as the Giants fell six games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.

“All my stuff just sucked,” Manaea said following his second loss of the season. “That’s really what it comes down to.”

The left-hander has struggled with his command thus far in his San Francisco tenure, allowing a career-high 5.5 walks per nine innings pitched–a career-high.

“When all of those walks score, it tends to be a bad day,” Manaea said of his three walks.

Austin Slater was removed from the game after appearing to injure himself on this play pic.twitter.com/VZvEBYGdDg

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 10, 2023

More bad news hit the Giants during Wednesday’s loss as outfielder Austin Slater left the game during the sixth inning due to left hamstring tightness.

Slater, who missed the first three weeks of the regular season due to a left hamstring strain, shared his frustrations following the game.

“It’s definitely very frustrating,” Slater said. “It just doesn’t feel like I can catch a break right now. Hopefully, it’s nothing major.”

San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler told the media that the team’s training staff was “optimistic” that the injury was tightness and not a strain, but the Giants once again will have to cross its fingers and hope that another key player can avoid the injured list.

After dropping the three-game set to the Nationals, San Francisco will shift its attention to a four-game weekend set with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the team’s lone road series between May 3rd and May 22nd.

Giants ERA leader Alex Cobb will take the ball in Thursday’s series opener as the right-hander will look to put San Francisco back into the win column against a DBacks team that holds the second-highest team batting average in Major League Baseball (.270).

Alex Cobb believes the team's confidence in him helped fuel his dominant outing against the Brewers pic.twitter.com/SRCX3bUgyk

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 7, 2023

Cobb tossed seven shutout innings during his last start on May 6th while striking out five batters.

Can the Giants right the ship and pick up some valuable games in the standings against a National League West foe? Cobb and San Francisco will begin that process on Thursday.

Probables

Thursday, May 11th – Alex Cobb (2-1, 2.01 ERA) vs. Tommy Henry (1-0, 5.17 ERA) – 6:40 PM PST

Friday, May 12th – Ross Stripling (0-2, 6.66 ERA) vs. Ryne Nelson (1-2, 6.00 ERA) – 6:40 PM PST

Saturday, May 13th – Anthony DeSclafani (3-2, 2.80) vs. Zac Gallen (5-1, 2.36 ERA) – 5:10 PM PST

Sunday, May 14th – Logan Webb (3-5, 3.46) vs. Brandon Pfaadt (0-1, 12.10 ERA) – 1:10 PM PST

Who’s Hot?

• Casey Schmitt had a successful MLB debut as the 24-year-old went four-for-eight with a home run and scored three runs during the last two games of the Washington series.
• LaMonte Wade Jr. is batting .313 with a home run and four RBI over his past five games.
• J.D. Davis has picked up a hit in five of his past six games and is now batting .287 on the season.

Upcoming San Francisco Giants Schedule

• Thursday, May 11th-Sunday, May 14th – @ Arizona Diamondbacks
• Monday, May 15-Wednesday, May 17th – vs. Philadelphia Phillies
• Friday, May 19th-Sunday, May 21st – vs. Miami Marlins
• Monday, May 22nd-Wednesday, May 24th – @ Minnesota Twins
• Thursday, May 25th-Sunday, May 28th– @Milwaukee Brewers

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