Struggling SF Giants open series against surging Mets

Apr 22, 2024, 8:29 AM

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 21: Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Francisco Giants is congratula...

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Editor & Kings Beat Writer

Following a challenging four-game split against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Francisco Giants are determined to kick off the new week on a positive note as they embark on a three-game series on Monday night at Oracle Park.

San Francisco (10-13) will face a red-hot New York Mets (12-9) team that has won eight of its past ten games–including seven of eight entering play against the Giants.

Consistency hasn’t been a strength for San Francisco, as the Giants have won consecutive games just once since March 30th–their season-opening series in San Diego.

A new series brings new opportunities, and a matchup against the surging Mets will be a challenge for San Francisco as they look to pick up ground in the National League West standings (2.5 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers).

YAZ WITH ONE SWING OF THE BAT. GIANTS LEAD 👏 pic.twitter.com/JMCAGNKQgD

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 21, 2024

Giants vs. Mets starters & first pitch time

Monday, April 22nd | Keaton Winn (1-3, 4.09 ERA) vs. Jose Quintana (1-1, 3.05 ERA) | 6:45 PM PST

Tuesday, April 23rd | Logan Webb (2-1, 2.93 ERA) vs. Luis Severino (2-1, 2.94 ERA) | 6:45 PM PST

Wednesday, April 24th | Blake Snell (0-3, 11.57 ERA) vs. Sean Manaea (1-1, 4.12 ERA) | 12:45 PM PST

Batter vs. Pitcher

Jorge Soler and Michael Conforto are two-for-six (.333) against Jose Quintana during their careers.
Over 21 career at-bats against Sean Manaea, Wilmer Flores is seven-for-21 (.333).
Brandon Nimmo (.429 over 14 at-bats) and Pete Alonso (.333 over 15 at-bats) have hit Blake Snell well during their careers.

Hello, Old Friend

After spending the 2023 season in the orange and black, Sean Manaea will return to Oracle Park on Wednesday, where he will start against Blake Snell.

Over four starts for New York this season, Manaea holds a 1-1 record to go along with a 4.12 ERA and 21 strikeouts over 19.2 innings pitched.

Manaea, 32, signed a one-year, $14.5 million deal with the Mets that includes a $13.5 million player option for 2025.

Is Snell Due?

Reigning Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell is still searching for his first win as a San Francisco Giant.

Snell, the Giants’ final signing of a busy offseason that also brought Jorge Soler, Jung Hoo Lee, Jordan Hicks, and Matt Chapman to San Francisco, holds an 0-3 record and 11.57 ERA over three starts thus far.

Over Snell’s nine-year career, he has only struggled to this extent in two prior three-game stretches:

June 19-30th, 2019: 1-2 record, 13.97 ERA
June 14-25th 2019: 0-2 record, 20.57 ERA

Snell hasn’t had a four-game stretch with an ERA of 11.00 or higher in five years, meaning the southpaw could be due for a breakthrough performance on Wednesday when he takes the ball in the series finale.

Who’s Hot?

Patrick Bailey hit .455 (five-for-11) with one home run and 3 RBI during the Giants’ four-game series vs. Arizona.
LaMonte Wade Jr. is hitting .350 over his past ten games and is up to .358 on the year.
Thairo Estrada has shaken off a rough start to the season and is hitting .324 with two home runs over his past ten games.