Giants set to begin series vs. offensively struggling rival Dodgers

Needing a jolt amid an unimpressive offensive stretch, the Los Angeles Dodgers welcome the rival San Francisco Giants for the first of a four-game set Monday night.

BY FIELD LEVEL MEDIA

May 10, 2026, 10:41 PM Updated: May 11, 2026, 9:04 am

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 04: Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against...

Trevor McDonald #72 of the San Francisco Giants pitches against the San Diego Padres in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park on May 04, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Needing a jolt amid an unimpressive offensive stretch, the Los Angeles Dodgers welcome the rival San Francisco Giants for the first of a four-game set Monday night.

Los Angeles is coming off a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves that saw it muster a total of four runs in back-to-back games, dropping two of three.

“As far as building innings, we just haven’t been able to do that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “As a unit, I don’t think that we’re one piece right now. It’s not from a lack of effort. We’ve been in this funk for quite some time. That’s kind of where we’re at right now.”

Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-12 with four strikeouts in the series, seeing his batting average drop to .241.

On the mound, struggling Los Angeles right-hander Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA) will look to build off his first six-inning outing of the year in the opener. Sasaki allowed three runs on five hits in six frames on May 2, losing 3-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals. The 24-year-old will face the Giants for the first time Monday.

The Giants enter their first of 10 straight road games as owners of the third-worst record in the National League. San Francisco is coming off a rare series win, though, taking two of three from the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.

Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29) is slated to make his second start after being recalled to the big league club for the third time this season. McDonald, 25, threw seven innings of one-run, two-hit ball in his season debut last Monday, a 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres. The right-hander struck out eight and walked none in just his third career start.

“Big moment, big opportunity,” McDonald said of his outing, which helped end San Francisco’s six-game losing streak. “There was some adrenaline to where I could go out there and give us a spark and do the best I can to get back on that winning streak.”

An 11th-round draft pick of the Giants in 2019, McDonald hasn’t seen sustained success at the minor-league level, going 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in five appearances (four starts) for Triple-A Sacramento this season. If the right-hander can replicate his 2026 debut, McDonald could remain in the Giants’ rotation.

“Regardless of what the immediate future holds, I think in the distant future, the long term, he’s going to get the ball in his hand again in a vital situation,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said. “I think he sent a message that I hope rang true for all of his buddies on the pitching staff.

“Attacking is the way to go, and when we’ve attacked this year as a pitching staff, we’ve almost always had success.”

McDonald has faced Los Angeles once, allowing one run across six innings in a road no-decision last Sept. 21. The Giants won 3-1.

–Field Level Media