Injuries Force the Giants to make Adjustments to their Starting Rotation

San Francisco Manager Bob Melvin will reach into his bag of tricks tonight and hand Matt Gage the ball against the Washington Nationals

Jul 27, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Matt Gage (93) throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Mets at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images | Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

To say that the San Francisco Giants have been hit with some setbacks in 2025 would be a major understatement. Considered contenders for a wild-card spot, they have floundered due to inconsistency and injuries. The latter of which has forced manager Bob Melvin's hand, as he will revamp his rotation tonight against the Washington Nationals.

Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle shared on social media that reliever Matt Gage would take the mound to start the game tonight at Oracle Park. The lefthander is 3-1 with a 1.43 ERA in 28 relief appearances on the season.

This flies in the face of Melvin's more traditional stance of having a regular, five-man rotation, but thanks to mounting injuries to the pitching staff, it's all hands on deck. At least, for now. The Giants are likely looking for four solid innings from Gage before they eventually turn the contest into a 'bullpen game'. That may not excite the fan base, but it's symbolic of how MLB's 162-game schedule becomes a war of attrition late in the season.

Giants Injuries force Bob Melvin's hand

Jul 2, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp (65) throws in the second inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Righthander Landen Roupp would normally be taking the mound tonight in San Francisco, but he's ruled out as he battles to return from an elbow injury. He went 7-6, with a 3.11 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 20 starts before being sidelined.

The pitcher originally reported tightness in his elbow after his start on July 12, and the discomfort continued to the point that he was eventually placed on the 15-day injured list. However, he's already thrown a sideline session earlier this week and is expected back in the rotation soon.

Bob Melvin assured the media at the time that Roupp's injuries were minor. An MRI revealed no structural damage to the 26-year-old's elbow.

"We think it's pretty minor," manager Bob Melvin told NBA Sports Bay Area. "I think we caught it at the right time. We were kind of considering maybe just skipping him a turn, but with the IL being 15 days, it basically comes down to two starts. We're hopeful that he's going to be able to come back out after that."

The Giants have seen the injury bug not only biting the pitching staff, but with some key position players as well. Catcher Tom Murphy, oufielder Jerar Encarnacion, infielder Christian Koss, and first baseman Wilmer Flores have all battled injuries in recent weeks.

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