SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS NOTES:
TODAY’S GAME: The Giants and Tigers face off for game two of this three-game set at Comerica Park…this series here in Detroit kicks off a string of 14 consecutive days with a game for the Giants, with their next off day coming on April 28, a day prior to their México City series vs. San Diego.
EYE OF THE TIGER: Despite last night’s loss, the Giants have fared well vs. the Tigers, posting a 16-11 all-time record against them that includes SF’s sweep in the 2012 World Series…the teams met four times last season, with each team splitting a pair of games at home (Stats, LLC).
MR. RELIABLE: Last night, RHP Tyler Rogers came out of the bullpen to appear in his 200th career game…since his MLB debut on August 27, 2019, no pitcher in the Majors has appeared in more games than Tyler, with the closest being KC’s Scott Barlow at 190…the right-hander led the NL in appearances in 2020 and 2021 and wrapped up last season tied for sixth with 68 games pitched…in 200 games, Tyler has accumulated a 2.85 ERA while posting a 15-8 record with 17 saves.
NO FREE PASSES: Today’s starter RHP Anthony DeSclafani has yet to walk a batter over his two starts this year…the veteran, who’s allowed just a single run over his 12.1 innings this year, is one of just three pitchers to have fanned at least 10 batters this season without issuing a walk (Stats, LLC).
LEADERSHIP: IF/OF Thairo Estrada’s three-hit night started with his first career leadoff homer…he came a triple short of a cycle yesterday and raised his batting average to .370 this season…his .370 average is tied for ninth-best in MLB and matching MIA’s Garrett Cooper the fifth-best mark in the NL.).
APRIL SHOWERS: IF J.D. Davis hit a three-run homer to tie the game in the 8th last night, snagging his third homer this month…Davis his hit exceptionally well in the month of April throughout his career, with his .333 average with nine home runs.
ALL OR NOTHING: With Estrada’s leadoff homer and Davis’ game-tying three-run shot, the Giants have accumulated 23 homers so far in 2023, the most in the first 13 games of a season in franchise history…the 1958, 2000 and 2001 clubs currently have the 14-game mark, also with 23…SF also leads the MLB with 60.3% (38 of 63) of their runs coming via the big fly (SIS).
STARTING STRONG: Despite posting a 1-5 record so far this season, Giants starters have a 3.15 ERA overall in the year, third-best in MLB…they have also walked a Major-League low 14 batters and have struck out 70, third-best in the NL and trailing the Reds (75) and Dodgers (74).
SCARY HOURS: Detroit’s walk off win over the Giants last night came off the bat of Nick Maton, who hit a three-run homer on a 3-0 count…according to Sports Info Solutions, this was only the fifth 3-0 walk off home run in the last 15 seasons in MLB (see chart below).
Walk off Home Runs on 3-0 Count, last 15 seasons
Joey Votto 2014 Reds
Chris Davis 2015 Orioles
Adam Frazier 2018 Pirates
Jordan Luplow 2020 Guardians
Nick Maton 2023 Tigers
ONE MORE THING ABOUT LAST NIGHT…: That was SF’s first walkoff loss of the season yesterday…since 2022, SF’s 10 walkoff losses are fourth-most in the Majors behind Arizona (12), Miami (11) and New York-AL (11).
WHAT’S THIS…MORE SUN??: After four straight night games, the Giants are right back to playing a day game…SF started the season with nine straight day games (three at the Yankees, three at the White Sox and three more at home vs. the Royals)…SF plays during the day today and tomorrow as well as the last game of the road trip in Miami.
TODAY’S STARTER – ANTHONY DeSCLAFANI RHP #26
2023 RECORD: 1-0, 0.73 ERA
TODAY’S OUTING: Takes the hill for his third start of the season this afternoon against the Tigers…the veteran, who returns from an injury-plagued 2022, is embarking on his ninth Major League season and third in a Giants uniform.
LAST TIME OUT: Had another solid start on Sunday as the Giants topped the Royals 3-1 at Oracle Park…threw 6.1 innings and allowed a run – his first this season – on three hits with seven strikeouts…the outing was his longest since September 14, 2021 vs. San Diego, when he pitched 6.2 innings, while his seven strikeouts were his most since also fanning seven batters on July 22, 2021 at Dodger Stadium.
LUCKY CHARM: Since joining the Giants in 2021, SF is 26-12 (.684) when DeSclafani takes the hill, winning 10 of his last 13 starts VS.
DETROIT: Made one career start against the Tigers on August 2, 2020 here at Comerica Park as a member of the Reds…did not factor in decision despite throwing 5.0-shutuout innings and allowing just three hits with two strikeouts in the outing.
JUST CALL ME A.L.: Has fared quite well in Interleague play throughout his career, going 7-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 18 games (17 starts) vs. AL opponents…over his last 11 games (10 starts) vs. the other league, DeSclafani is 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA (15er, 61.1ip) with an opponent’s batting average against of .216…his teams have gone 9-2 in those 11 starts.
EARLY BIRD: DeSclafani has been well situated in his starts this year, with the leadoff man in an inning is going just 1-for-13 with five strikeouts …in his first time through the order, opponents are 1-for-18 with seven strikeouts.
A WIN IS A WIN: Was named the winning pitcher in SF’s exhibition against Team USA on March 8 after throwing 3.0-shutout innings and allowing just one hit with two walks while striking out 2022 National League MVP and Hank Aaron Award winner Paul Goldschmidt.
INJURED LIST: Had his 2022 campaign cut short with right ankle inflammation, an old injury that resurfaced after just three starts last year…landed in the 10-day IL for the first time on April 22 and was later transferred to the 60-day IL, missing 53 games…made two more starts at the Major League level before landing in the 15-day IL once again on June 28 with the same injury….was transferred to the 60-day on July 7 and missed the remainder of the season…DeSclafani underwent surgery to fix his peroneal tendon, which is on the outside of the ankle joint, on July 21 in Green Bay, WI… the surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson.
DETROIT TIGERS NOTES:
TIGERS WALK OFF GIANTS IN SERIES OPENER: The Tigers opened their series against the Giants with a dramatic 7-5 win in 11 innings on Friday
night. Trailing 5-4 with two outs in the bottom of the 11th, Nick Maton launched a 3-0 pitch from Camilo Doval over the right field fence for
a three-run homer to give the Tigers the win. Javier Báez reached base four times in the game, going 2×3 with a double, two RBI and two walks,
while Eric Haase and Matt Vierling each had two hits, including a double. Joey Wentz started for Detroit and threw 5.2 innings, allowing only one run on six hits with a walk and a career-high seven punchouts. Tyler Alexander pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in relief, while José Cisnero
worked out of a jam in the top of the 11th to pick up his first win of 2023.
ROSTER MOVES: The Tigers have made the following roster moves: *Optioned RHP Garrett Hill and INF Ryan Kreidler to Triple A Toledo following last night’s game *Reinstated RHP Michael Lorenzen from the 15- day injured list *Recalled LHP Tyler Holton from Triple A Toledo
IN THE NICK OF TIME: Nick Maton provided the heroics in last night’s game with his walk-off, three-run homer in the 11th inning. It marked
his second career walk-off hit (other, August 23, 2022 vs. Cincinnati) and his first career walk-off homer. According to Stats, LLC, it marked the first since 1988 in either a regular season or playoff game where a walk-off homer had been hit in a 3-0 count. Maton has now recorded an
extra-base hit in four straight games, the longest streak of his career.
BÁEZ ON BASE: Javier Báez was on base four times in last night’s victory, going 2×3 with a double and two RBI. The performance marked the fourth time in his career that he has recorded two-or-more hits and drawn two-or-more walks in the same game (last, September 14, 2021 vs. St. Louis) and the 21st time that he has been on base four-or-more times in a game.
NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE-Y: Joey Wentz put together one of the best starts of his young career last night against the Giants, giving up only one run on six hits with a walk and a career-best seven strikeouts. After throwing only 22 of his 47 pitchers for strikes in his last outing, Wentz pounded the strike zone last night as 65 of his 94 pitches were strikes, including throwing first pitch strikes to 82.6% of the batters he faced.
TIGERS AND GIANTS: The Tigers and Giants continue their only series of the season this afternoon at Comerica Park. Detroit and San Francisco split their four-game season series in 2022, including a 1-1 record at Comerica Park. The Giants hold a 12-11 edge in the all-time series with the Tigers holding an 8-7 advantage in games played in Detroit.
INTERLEAGUE ACTION: The Tigers are 1-0 in interleague games this season after last night’s win. With the balanced schedule in 2023, Detroit will play 46 games against National League opponents, compared to 20 in previous season. The Tigers went 11-9 in interleague play last season, including a 5-5 record at Comerica Park.
TIGERS ON THE IL:
• RHP Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort, 15-day IL on March 30, retroactive to March 27)
• RHP Matt Manning (right foot fracture, 15-day IL on April 8, retroactive to April 7)
• OF Austin Meadows (anxiety, 15-day IL on April 12)
• RHP Casey Mize (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on February 17)
• RHP Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain, 60-day IL on March 27)
• LHP Tarik Skubal (left elbow strain, 60-day IL on March 14)
UPCOMING MATCHUPS:
• Sunday, April 16 vs. SF – 1:10 p.m. (BSDET/97.1)
LHP Matthew Boyd (0-1, 4.00) vs.
RHP Logan Webb (0-3, 6.35)
TODAY’S TIGERS STARTING PITCHER – Michael Lorenzen • 0-0, 0.00 ERA (0.0IP/0ER)
• Lorenzen will make his Tigers regular season debut today against San Francisco after being reinstated from the injured list prior to the game.
• Made an injury rehab start with Triple A Toledo last Saturday vs. Omaha, throwing 2.1 innings and allowing four runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts. • Has faced the Giants seven times in his career, including once as a starter, and has a 0-1 record with a 6.35 ERA (11.1IP/8ER) and four strikeouts…in two career appearances, including one start at Comerica Park, Lorenzen is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA (6.2IP/1ER) and two strikeouts.
• Made three starts during Spring Training and had a 0-0 record with a 4.91 ERA (7.1IP/4ER) and nine strikeouts.
• Started 18 games with the Angels in 2022 and went 8-6 with a 4.24 ERA (97.2IP/46ER) and 85 strikeouts…finished the season strong, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.36 ERA (26.2IP/7ER) and 30 strikeouts over five starts from September 9-October 4.
