San Francisco Giants Face Massive Divisional Test with Elite Pitching Matchups

The San Francisco Giants have been one of the best stories in baseball through the first month of the season, sitting tied for the lead in the best division in baseball.

It has not just been beating up on an easy schedule either as the Giants have played just seven games against teams below .500.

This San Francisco team has undeniably taken a significant step in 2025, but they face perhaps their biggest test yet this week in a two-game set which could reshape the standings in the National League West.

For all the difficulties of the schedule as the Giants come to the end of April, they actually have not yet played a team within the division.

Though they have cooled off a bit with four straight losses and dropping five of the last six, the San Diego Padres have also been one of the best teams in baseball to start the year.

With a record that has now dropped to 17-11, they sit 1.5 games behind San Francisco as they prepare to host the Giants starting on Tuesday night.

The first matchup tonight -- which begins at 6:40 p.m. CST at Petco Park -- features an absolutely epic pitching matchup between two hurlers who have been two of the best in the National League over the first month.

For San Francisco it's right-hander Logan Webb going up against Nick Pivetta for the Padres.

Webb boasts a 3-1 record with a 1.98 ERA in six starts and a WHIP of 1.101. He is striking out batters at the highest rate of his career with 44 K's in 36.1 innings pitched.

Pivetta on the other hand -- who signed a lucrative deal with San Diego this offseason from the Boston Red Sox -- has a 4-1 record with a scorching 1.20 ERA and 0.767 WHIP in five starts.

He has struck out an even 30 batters in 30 innings and if the season ended today, Pivetta would have quite the case to be the NL Cy Young.

The second game on Wednesday is going to begin at 1:10 p.m. CST and features another nice matchup as well.

Landen Roupp takes the hill for the Giants with a 2-1 record as well as a 4.56 ERA and 1.519 WHIP as well as 31 strikeouts in 25.2 innings pitched.

For the Padres, it's standout right-hander Michael King, who enters with a 2.18 ERA and 1.061 WHIP with a record of 3-1.

San Diego finishes the first month of the year with statistically by far the best bullpen in baseball. Though San Francisco is second with a collective ERA from their relievers of 2.30, the Padres bullpen has posted a ridiculous 1.63 mark.

With two strong bullpens, it will be important for both teams to try to jump on the starters early, something that will be very difficult especially in the first game.

It's setting up to be the first two epic battles in San Diego of what should be a ton of them this season between the Giants and the Padres.

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