San Francisco Giants Throwing All-Stars, Young Hurlers Against Phillies

The San Francisco Giants continue their east coast road trip with a four-game set at the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.

The Giants (11-4) are in the middle a three-city road trip that saw their first let wrap up in New York against the Yankees. After the four-game set with the Phillies, the Giants don’t get a day off and must fly cross-country to take on the Los Angeles Angels starting on Friday.

San Francisco did catch one break in this four-game series. It won’t face the Phillies’ staff ace, Zack Wheeler, who pitched on Sunday. The Phillies (9-6) are catching the same break as they won’t face Giants ace Logan Webb.

Monday’s game, set for 3:45 p.m. pacific time, pits right-hander Landen Roupp (0-1, 3.60) against Phillies right-hander Taijuan Walker (1-0, 0.00).

Roupp claimed the fifth spot in the rotation and has been solid in his first two turns. He took the loss against Cincinnati on April 8, giving up just one earned run on seven hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked none. Across two games he’s struck out 12 hitters in 10 innings.

Walker is in the rotation for the injured Ranger Suarez and he’s put last year’s struggles behind him. He hasn’t allowed a run in 10.2 innings in two starts, giving up eight hits and four walks. He’s struck out nine. His performance has put the Phillies in the position where they don’t have to rush Suarez back.

Tuesday’s game, set for 3:45 p.m., pits Giants right-hander Justin Verlander (0-0, 6.92) against Phillies left-hander Jesús Luzardo (2-0, 1.50).

Verlander is heading into his fourth start after a no-decision against Cincinnati, during which he went 5.2 innings and gave up five hits and five earned runs. He struck out a season-high nine but walked three. He hasn’t been quite as sharp as he was in spring training.

Luzardo has been brilliant for the Phillies, who traded for the 27-year-old in the offseason. He’s gone at least five innings in each of his three starts, and he gave up six hits and one run in his last start against Atlanta. He struck out a season-high 11 hitters in his Philadelphia debut against Washington on March 29.

Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (3-0, 2.93) will make his fourth start of the season and seek his fourth straight win against Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (0-3, 5.51) in Wednesday’s game, set for 3:45 p.m. pacific time.

Ray claimed the victory in a six-inning win over the Yankees on Friday, which was curtailed by rain. He threw four innings, gave up two hits and one run. He struck out seven and walked four. He’s putting together a campaign that could put him in the All-Star Game in July.

Nola has been on the wrong side of each of his three starts, but he’s gone at least five innings in each contest. He gave up just two runs in five innings in his last outing against St. Louis but walked four and struck out seven.

Thursday’s finale, set for 1:05 p.m., pits Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks (1-1, 5.87) against Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez (1-0, 3.12).

Hicks took it on the chin in his last start against the Yankees, giving up eight hits and seven runs in four innings. He walked three and struck out three. Before that, he had given up just three earned runs in 11 innings.

Sánchez just claimed his first win of the season against St. Louis on Saturday. He allowed one earned run in 6.1 innings, but did give up eight hits and two walks. He struck out three.

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