SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Giants pitched their way back to .500 with their shutout of the Brewers last night and face off for game two of this four-game set tonight…SF has won of eight of its last 10 games and is 3-1 in this seven-game road trip so far after taking two of three games in Minnesota earlier this week.
APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS: After going 11- 15 (.423) in April, the Giants have gone 14-9 (.609) over 23 games in May, which is the third-best winning percentage in the National League behind the Dodgers (15-7, .682) and Diamondbacks (13-8, .619).
KEEP RUNNING: The Giants have not been shutout by the Brewers in their last 72 meetings, their longest active such streak against any opponent…the last time San Francisco went 70 straight games or longer without getting shutout against a single opponent was against the Diamondbacks between 2010 and 2014 (74 games straight) (Stats, LLC).
BE LIKE MIKE: OF Michael Conforto sluggled his 11th homer of the year last night and his third in four games this road trip…he became one of four Giants players in the modern era (since 1901) to have at least 10 HR and 20 walks in his first 44 games with the team joining Moises Alou (11 HR, 28 BB in 2005), Barry Bonds (11 HR, 39 BB in 1993) and Willie Mays (10 HR, 24 BB in 1951) (Stats, LLC)…Conforto has homered seven times over his last 14 games, tied for the third-most homers in MLB since May 10 behind NYY’s Aaron Judge (8) and CHC’s Christopher Morel (8)…in this run, Conforto is slashing .370/.417/.796 (1.213 OPS) with 15 RBI. .
FEW RUNS ALLOWED: Following yesterday’s shutout of the Brewers, San Francisco’s pitching staff has allowed four earned runs or fewer in 11 straight games entering today, the longest active streak in MLB (see chart below)…during that 11-game stretch the Giants have posted a 8-3 record with the starting staff posting a 3.94 ERA…the 11 games match the Giants’ longest such streak since May 6-19, 2016, when SF had 13 straight contests (Stats, LLC).
MLB, Longest Streaks w/ 4 ER Allowed or Fewer, 2023
Team Games Date
Giants 11 5/14 – 5/24*
White Sox 11 5/13 – 5/24
Pirates 11 4/13 – 4/23
*indicates active streak
Team Games Date
Marlins 10 4/11 – 4/22
Twins 10 4/9 – 4/19
BULLIES: The Giants have won eight of their last 10 games, a stretch that comes after dropping six of their previous eight contests…this excellent stretch is in part due to SF’s bullpen, who’s sporting a 0.94 ERA, the best figure in the Majors, and holding opposing teams to a .175 average during the run… since May 15, the ‘pens 64 strikeouts are most of any bullpen in the Majors, while their 48.0 innings pitched are second-most behind the Dodgers (49.1ip).
IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE: Overall, SF’s pitching staff has posted a 2.53 ERA since May 15, the second-best figure in the Majors behind the White Sox (2.15)…the Giants’ offense averaged 4.2 runs-per-game despite homering just six times (four of which came from Conforto) over the 10-game span… after slugging an NL-leading 46 home runs in April, SF hitters have just 22 homers this month, tied for 20th in MLB.
DAYLIGHT ROBBERY: OF Mike Yastrzemski robbed a home run from former teammate Darin Ruf in the first inning yesterday…according to Sports Info Solutions, the robbery was the fourth of Yaz’ career (see chart below).
OUT WITH THE OLD: The new pitch clock hasn’t quite benefitted the Giants early this year…yesterday’s batter violation from MIL’s Willy Adames’ was just the 10th pitch timer violation favoring SF this season, tied with the Rays for the fewest in MLB…in contrast, the Giants themselves have committed 22 pitch timer violations this year, tied with the Mets for third-most in MLB behind Tampa Bay and Miami (both at 24)…SF, however, has committed just seven total violations this month following 15 violations in March/April, and have currently gone eight games without being flagged for one.
ALL ABOUT THAIRO: IF Thairo Estrada swiped another base last night to collect his 13th stolen base of the season…he became the first Giant since Barry Bonds (1995) to have at least 55 hits, 30 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in the team’s first 50 games of a season…Bobby Bonds and Willie Mays are the only other Giants to do so over the past 100 years (Stats, LLC)…overall, Estrada’s 13 steals are sixth-most in the NL and most by a Giant in the team’s first 50 games since Mays also stole 13 in 1960.
FIFTY-FIFTY: The Giants are 25-25 through 50 games this season…the team looks eerily similar to last year’s club, who finished at a perfect .500 for the first time in franchise history, through their first 50 games.
TODAY’S STARTER – ALEX WOOD LHP #57
2023 RECORD: 0-0, 4.05 ERA
WITH THE GIANTS: In his third year with SF…signed a two-year, $25 million contract with San Francisco in the 2021-2022 offseason after a strong performance on a one-year deal in 2021.
LAST START: Allowed four runs on six hits to the Marlins, two being home runs to OF Jorge Soler and C Nick Fortes, as he struck out five in 4.1 innings…threw 74 pitches, his most since returning from the IL (left hamstring strain).
VS. BREWERS: Wood has strong numbers against the Brewers in his career…his 1.29 ERA (3er, 21.0ip) being his best against any team he’s faced at least three times…his one start with the Giants was on July 15, 2022 at Oracle Park, where he allowed three unearned runs over 4.2 innings while striking out seven in an 8-5 SF win…Wood has allowed just three runs in 15.0 frames at Milwaukee, with his last appearance being a 6.0- inning win in 2018…former Giants IF/OF Darin Ruf is 8-for-17 (.471) with a home run and four RBI vs. Wood…OF Christian Yelich also has a history of success, going 15-for-36 (.417), yet he has just one extra-base hit.
FAVORABLE MATCHUP: Right-handers are batting .302 (19×63) with an .895 OPS against Wood this season…all three of Wood’s ome runs surrendered have come vs. righties…the Brewers have struggled mightily against left-handed pitching this season, with their .620 OPS and .209 batting average both ranking last in the Majors…dating back to last season, Milwaukee has the worst batting average, .219, and 27th-ranked OPS, .662…Milwaukee currently has the second-highest ground ball rate in the Majors, 46.1%… Wood has a 45.0% ground ball rate this year.
MAY FLOWERS OR SHOWERS?: May has historically been Wood’s best month in terms of run prevention…his 3.38 career May ERA and 4.13 SO/BB are both monthly-bests…in his three May outings this season, Wood has allowed seven runs on 13 hits (three being home runs) in 10.0 innings (6.30 ERA).
WHERE’S THE DAMAGE COMING FROM?: Wood has been stingy at limiting the heart of opposing lineups this season…batters 3-6 are hitting .147 (5×34) with a .599 OPS against Wood this season… the top two and final three hitters in the lineup, however, are posting strong numbers…batters 1-2 are hitting .381 (8×21) with a .981 OPS while batters 7-9 are hitting .308 (8×26) with an .879 OPS.
CLOSER LOOK: Opponents are hitting .176 (3×17) with zero extra-base hits against Wood’s changeup this year, but the XBA (expected batting average) is .310…last year, they hit .277 (31×112) vs. his changeup…Wood’s sinker is his most commonly used pitch (45.5%) this year, and has a .267 opposing batting average (8×30), but the XBA is .191…his slider, his second-most used pitch (34.3%), also has a significant drop-off when comparing the .294 opposing batting average (10×34) to the .244 XBA.
PACING: Averaged 15.1 seconds between pitches when the bases were empty during the 2022 season, 25th-quickest in the Majors last year (league average is 18.1 seconds)…with runners on however, Wood slowed it down a bit, averaging 21.3 seconds between pitches…that rate was still well under league average (23.3 seconds).
MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
TONIGHT’S GAME: Is game 5 (2-2) of a 7-game homestand against Houston (2-1) and San Francisco (0-1)…..following this homestand and an off day on Monday, the team takes a 7-game road trip to Toronto (3g) and Cincinnati (4g)…..their next homestand will cover 6 games vs. Baltimore (3g) and Oakland (3g) from June 6-11.
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP JB Bukauskas (neck), RHP Matt Bush (right rotator cuff), LHP Eric Lauer (right shoulder), LHP Wade Miley (left lat), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), INF Luis Urías (left hamstring), 1B Luke Voit (neck), LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list…..Alexander, Ashby, Mitchell, Urías, Wilson and Woodruff are on the 60-day IL.
IN THE STANDINGS (57 days): The Brewers have spent the following number of days alone or tied at each position in the NL Central standings: FIRST: 36, SECOND: 19, THIRD: 2, FOURTH: 0, FIFTH: 0…..the team is currently in first place, leading the second-place Pirates by 1.5 games.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 8-8-0 in series play.
Game 1: 7-10, Game 2: 10-6, Game 3: 9-7, Game 4: 1-0
Sweep Wins (3): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14)
Sweep Losses (1): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 15-10 at home, going 5-3-0 in series play…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 12-13 on the road, going 3-5-0 in series play…..are 3-9 over their last 12 games and have dropped their last 4 series…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made 10 replay challenges this season, going 5-5…..their last challenge (lost) came on May 25 vs. San Francisco as a foul tip (Joey Wiemer) stood
TONIGHT’S STARTER: #51 – RHP FREDDY PERALTA (9gs, 5-3, 4.15)
PERALTA AT A GLANCE: Freddy Peralta, 26, will make his 10th start of the season and first against the Giants…..Peralta last started last Sunday at Tampa Bay and earned a 6-4 win (6ip, 5h, 3r, 3er, 3bb, 4k, 1hr, 95 pitches)…..the team is 5-4 in his starts…..he has 6 quality starts…..opponents are batting .235 (46-for-196, 6hr)…..Peralta was acquired from Seattle, along with RHP Carlos Herrera and RHP Daniel Missaki, in exchange for 1B Adam Lind on 12/9/15…..on 2/28/20, he signed a 5-year contract through the 2024 season with club options for 2025 and 2026.
LAST SEASON: Peralta went 4-4 with a 3.58 ERA in 18 games/17 starts…..he held opponents to a .190 batting average with 86 strikeouts in 78.0 innings…..the team went 8-9 in his starts…..he produced 4 quality starts…..he was on the injured list twice last season: 5/23-8/2 (right posterior shoulder strain) and 9/9-9/24 (right shoulder inflammation).
CAREER: Is 35-20 with a 3.85 ERA in 125 games/76 starts (467ip, 200er)…..is in his sixth Major League season, all with the Brewers (2018-23)…..is 27-18 with a 3.85 ERA as a starter (383ip, 164er) and 8-2 with a 3.86 ERA in relief (84ip, 36er)…..was an All-Star in 2021.
CAREER AT AMERICAN FAMILY FIELD: Is 22-11 with a 3.23 ERA in 67 games/39 starts (253.1ip, 91er)…..is 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA in 5 starts this season (29.2ip, 8er).
CAREER ON THE ROAD: Is 13-9 with a 4.59 ERA in 58 games/37 starts (213.2ip, 109er)…..is 1-2 with a 6.45 ERA in 4 starts this season (22.1ip, 16er).
CAREER vs. GIANTS: Is 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 2 games/1 start (3ip, 0er)…..both outings came in Milwaukee in team wins…..pitched in relief on 7/13/19 (1ip, 2bb, 3k) and started on 9/8/22 (2ip, 2bb, 3k)…..he left the start with a right shoulder injury.
