San Francisco Giants podcast with Michael Duca: Giants hope to add more ground in NL West in Arizona

San Francisco Giants pitcher Alex Wood seen here throwing against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Mon Jun 14, 2021 at Oracle Park in San Francisco will start against the Diamondback on Fri Jul 2, 2021 at Chase Field in Phoenix (AP file photo)

On the Giants podcast with Michael:

#1 The San Francisco Giants (50-29) who opened a four game series on Thursday night at Chase Field in Phoenix against the Arizona Diamondbacks (22-60) are hoping that they can put more games between them and the Los Angeles Dodgers (49-31) can they do it?

#2 After the Dodgers series in LA Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seems to have a lot of confidence that the Dodgers can catch the Giants not only after sweeping them but they have the horses and experience to win the west is that a fair assessment by Roberts.

#3 After the loss on Tuesday in the brief two game series Giants manager Gabe Kapler said “No real explanation other than we’re going to have to do a better job against the best teams in baseball, including the Dodgers, in those big spots,”

#4 Giants outfielder Mike Tauchman suffered a mile contusion after making an outstanding catch on Tuesday night he ironically was filling in for Mike Yastrzemski who was also out with a contusion. Tauchman had an MRI on Wednesday and talk about Yastrzemski’s progress.

#5 Taking a look at tonight’s starting pitchers for the Giants Alex Wood (6-3 ERA 3.91) and for the Diamondbacks Zac Gallen (1-3 ERA 3.69) Michael tell us how you see this match in game 2 of this series for tonight.

Michael Duca does the Giants podcasts each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Diamondbacks snap four-game skid with 5-3 win over Giants

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly throws to the San Francisco Giants line up in the first inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Thu Jul 1, 2021 (AP News photo)

by Marko Ukalovic

PHOENIX—What a difference a start made for Merrill Kelly.

The Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher pitched seven strong innings and drove in a run on his first hit of the season in helping his team defeat the San Francisco Giants 5-3 in the first game of a weekend four-game series on Thursday evening at Chase Field.

San Francisco have lost a season worst four-games in a row and their lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers has shrunk to just a half game. Arizona snapped its own four-game losing streak and are just 3-9 after losing 17 games in a row.

Kelly gave up seven hits with three earned runs while striking out seven and did not allow a single walk on the evening.

Kelly, who came into the game with out having a hit, hit a bloop into left field for his first hit and RBI of the season to give the Diamondbacks a 2-1 in the second inning.

“I think he was just giving us different looks,” said Giants catcher Buster Posey about Kelly command tonight. “He didn’t really stay in one spot. He’s able to throw four pitches at different parts of the plate and that’s usually a recipe for success.”

The second inning for Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is one he would like to forget. After coming off his best outing against the Oakland A’s last Friday, Cueto came into this start feeling under the weather. He finished the inning throwing 32 pitches and he looked fatigued and was not sharp on the mound.

“Yeah it was a long inning,” said Cueto if he had ran out of gas after the second inning. “I tried to have a lot of energy, I tried to install energy in the game but I just didn’t have it. I tried to go deep into the game as long as I could but again I just couldn’t do it.”

Cueto gutted out a five inning performance giving up all five runs on six hits, while striking out five batter and issued two walks.

Mike Yastrzemski drew first blood in the first inning when he hit a 418-foot home run to right field, his 11th of the season, to get San Francisco (50-30) on the board.

Arizona (23-60) responded with its two-out rally in the second. Back to back doubles to Josh Reddick and Josh VanMeter in the bottom of the second inning to even the score at one apiece before Kelly’s go ahead single. It was VanMeter’s 10th RBI on the season.

Wilmer Flores smashed a 429-foot two-run homer to left field after a one out single by Branden Crawford, his eighth of the season, in the fourth inning to give the Giants a brief 3-2 lead.

Once again the Diamondbacks regained the lead in the bottom half of the fourth and this time for good. Reddick hit a two-run homer that just cleared the fence in right fielder for his first home run in a Diamondback uniform to give Arizona a 4-3 lead.

Pavin Smith added an insurance run in the fifth inning for Arizona with his sixth home run of the season, a deep shot into the right field seats, to complete the game’s scoring.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler said there’s no need to hit the panic button right now despite his offense’s current slump.

“I don’t think we need a rally the troops kind of speech. We’re not that kind of team,” Kapler said.

Joakim Soria pitched an eventful, but scoreless ninth inning to preserve the win to earn his first save of the season.

GAME NOTES: Outfielder Mike Tauchman was placed on the 10-day IL list (retroactive to June 30th) with a right knee sprain. The Giants recalled outfielder Jaylin Davis as he returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Posey will be the starting catcher for the National League at the All-Star Game in Denver, Colorado on July 13th as he finished first in the fan voting. It will be his seventh of his career, giving him one more selection to the National League squad than Willie McCovey and Will Clark earned in their storied Giants tenures.

UP NEXT: The Giants and D-Backs continue their four-game series on Friday 7/2 at 6:40pm at Chase Field.

Giants hoping to salvage road trip in Arizona after getting swept in LA

San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr., right, is congratulated for hitting a third inning home run by Mike Yastrzemski at Dodgers Stadium on Mon Jun 28, 2021, Yastrzemski is expected to be back in the line up Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks after suffering a contusion on Monday. (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

The San Francisco Giants had the day off on Wednesday after getting swept in a two-game series by the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Still, the Giants hold their place at the top of the NL West.

“No real explanation other than we’re going to have to do a better job against the best teams in baseball, including the Dodgers, in those big spots,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said.

San Francisco was hit with another injury on Tuesday — right fielder Mike Tauchman suffered a mild knee contusion and potentially a mild sprain as he made an outstanding catch. Tauchman, who had an MRI on Wednesday, was filling in for Mike Yastrzemski who himself suffered a contusion on Monday. But there is hope for the Giants — Kapler said Yastrzemski could be ready to play on Thursday.

The Giants travel to Chase Field on Friday for the first in a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.

San Francisco’s starter will be right-handed pitcher Johnny Cueto. Cueto has 73 hits, 29 runs (27 earned), eight homers allowed, 12 walks and 53 strikeouts over 67 innings this season. He has a 3.63 ERA overall.

The Diamondbacks also got swept in their last three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Arizona is starting with right-handed pitcher Merrill Kelly. Kelly has 93 hits, 51 runs (48 earned), 12 homers allowed, 25 walks and 82 strikeouts over 91.1 innings this season. He has a 4.73 ERA overall.

The Giants (50-29) are 9-0 in their last nine games after a day off and 10-4 in their last 14 games. The Diamondbacks (22-60) are fifth in the NL West and are 7-46 in their last 53 games overall and 7-20 in their last 27 home games.

Muncy homers and scores twice in Dodgers 3-1 win; LA takes SF in two games

Los Angeles Dodgers Max Muncy (right) turns on a San Francisco Kevin Gausman pitch for a solo home run in the third inning at Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles on Tue Jun 29, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

There is a new nemesis within the longtime rivalry between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and lo and behold, he also used to play for the Oakland As.

Max Muncy, who once told said to former Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner, if you want the ball, If you don’t want me to watch the ball, you can go get it out of the ocean,” after he hit a home run into McCovey Cove, which is actually San Francisco Bay and not the Pacific Ocean.

Muncy was up to his old tricks again, as he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third, helping the Dodgers to a 3-1 victory over the Giants at Dodger Stadium and completing the sweep in a short two-game series and sending the Giants to their third straight loss.

Chris Taylor got the Dodgers on the board in the bottom of the first inning, as he hit an opposite field double to right field off of eventual losing pitcher Kevin Gausman that allowed both Muncy and Justin Turner to score for the reigning World Champions, who are just 1.5 games behind the Giants for the lead in the National League West.

Walker Buehler pitched the first 6.2 innings for the victorious Dodgers, as he allowed just one run on three hits, walking one and striking out seven, as he raised his record to 8-1 on the season.

It was a tough loss for Gausman, who fell to 8-2 on the season, as he went 5.0 innings, allowing three runs on three hits, walking five and striking out four, before he gave way to the bullpen that kept the Dodgers off bases. The trio of Jose Alvarez, Zack Littell and John Brebbia did not allow a Dodgers batter to reach base, as they struck out three over the final three innings.

Steven Duggar continued his hot hitting, as he doubled the only run of the game for the Giants, when he doubled off of Buehler that allowed Wilmer Flores to score.

Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen got into a jam in the top of the ninth inning, as he hit Alex Dickerson, then walked Buster Posey; however, Jansen was able to regroup to get Brandon Crawford on a called third strike, with a perfect slider over the plate, then Flores popped out to Gavin Lux for the second out and then Jansen nailed down his 20th save of the season, as he struck out Duggar swinging to end the game.

This is not the last time that the two rivals will see each other, as the Giants will travel to Dodger Stadium for the final time for a four-game series beginning on July 19 and then the Dodgers travel to San Francisco a week later for a three-game series and then Labor Day weekend.

NOTES: Prior to the game, the Giants recalled Thairo Estrada from Sacramento and optioned Mauricio Dubon to Sacramento.

With the sweep, the Dodgers ended the Giants 10 series streak, where they either won or spilt, as they went 7-0-3 during the run. The last team to win a series over the Giants, who swept the Giants at Oracle Park from May 21-23.

This Is also the first time since that series sweep by the Dodgers over the Giants at Oracle Park that the Giants have lost three in a row.

After picking up two hits in the opener, Buster Posey now has 88 hits at Dodger Stadium, good for second most by a Giants player since the ballpark opened in 1962, only trailing Willie McCovey who picked up 95 hits while playing for the Giants.

UP NEXT: After a day-off on Wednesday, the Giants begin a four-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday night at Chase Field.

Home Run Outcome: Dodgers hit one more than the Giants in 3-2 win

By Morris Phillips

For a team with 50 wins under its belt at the season’s halfway point, the Giants are clearly acting like they still have something to prove.

And they came that close to proving it at Dodgers Stadium on Monday… as close as a hand safely avoiding a swipe tag at second base.

Unfortunately, Mike Tauchman’s decision to stretch his single into a double opening the ninth inning failed, according to replay officials in New York who reviewed the call of out on the field. Had Tauchman been ruled safe, the Giants would have been set up with a runner in scoring position with three, capable hitters on deck with no outs.

Instead, they were reminded of a slow start, and an unforgettable 0 for 13 night hitting with runners in scoring position.

“I felt like I kept the team in the game and we were in it until the last inning,” said Anthony DeSclafani, summarizing the Giants’ evening of trying to overcome an early 2-0 deficit, but unable to come up with a big hit at any juncture. “We had a lot of runners on base. We just weren’t able to cash in on those.”

DeSclafani allowed home runs to Mookie Betts and Max Muncy, the first two batters he faced, and the Giants were in an early hole, down 2-0. But they answered with solo shots of their own from LaMonte Wade Jr. and Brandon Crawford, only to have DeSclafani give up a third shot to Will Smith in the fourth that ultimately became the deciding run.

Allowing three home runs had to be frustrating for the Giants. Only Alex Wood–also against the Dodgers–had allowed three in a game this season, and the statistic is one of a list that have catapulted the Giants to the top the standings. Coming into Monday, the team had allowed just 79 in 77 games, well below the league average for allowing home runs, and a nice counterpoint to the club’s MLB leading 116 homers hit.

The Dodgers managed just five hits, and the two that didn’t leave the yard didn’t amount to much. They also struck out 10 times against DeSclafani and three relievers, but it was enough. Meanwhile, the Giants piled up the hits and walks (11 hits, two walks) but it didn’t get them anywhere. They stranded all their baserunners when one breakthrough would have made the difference.

“Our guys just made pitches when they needed to,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The win was the Dodgers’ fourth straight following the no-hitter they suffered at the hands of the Cubs last week. They’re within 2 1/2 games of the Giants atop the NL West, but there’s plenty of baseball left. The two teams currently sporting the best records in baseball will meet 11 more times, including Tuesday night, and the stakes will be high. But with half a season remaining, both clubs know they have to pace themselves.

“We did a good job of not adding any extra pressure” Betts said. “We haven’t got hot yet, but we’ve done a good job of staying steady.”

The Giants offer All-Star starting pitcher candidate Kevin Gausman on Tuesday in a star-studded pairing with the Dodgers’ Walker Buehler at 7:00pm on ESPN.

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Casali leaves no doubt about being reliable

San Francisco Giants catcher Curt Casali has been clutch at the plate and done a fine job filling in for catcher Busty Posey during the Oakland series. Here is Casali in a photo from earlier this season. (photo from Around the Foghorn)

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Morris, Curt Casali is the talk of the town and thanks to his handy work the Giants are the first team in the big leagues to reach 50 wins.

#2 Casali on Saturday slugged a tenth inning RBI double during Saturday’s game for the Giants in their 6-5 win he’s been clutch when filling in for catcher Buster Posey whose out with injury.

#3 Morris, Giants manager Gabe Kapler says that Casali is a pretty selfless individual and has served the team, the pitchers, and Buster well.

#4 During the series the Giants on Friday got great pitching out of starter Johnny Cueto who threw a 2-0 shutout and the Giants clipped the A’s 6-5 in a ten inning nail biter on Saturday and those are the types of teams the Giants need to beat as the A’s are one of the winningest teams in the American League.

#5 Morris, It’s Monday Night Baseball tonight and the Giants are headed to LA to face their rivals the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be the second consecutive time the Giants have played in LA without the Dodgers coming to San Francisco for a brief two game series at Oracle Park. The Giants and Dodgers have not announced a starter for tonight’s game.

Join Morris Phillips for the Giants podcast at http://www.sportsradioservice.com each Monday

Sweep averted as Irwin picks up sixth win for the Athletics; A’s stop Giants 6-2

Oakland A’s hitter Matt Chapman gets around on a pitch for a two run single in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco as the A’s avoided a sweep on Sun Jun 27, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

SAN FRANCISCO-After taking the first two games of the Bay Bridge Series, the San Francisco Giants were looking that rare sweep of the Oakland Athletics; however, that would not be the outcome.

Matt Chapman drove in the only runs that the Athletics would need, as he hit a two-run single in the top of the first inning that scored Elvis Andrus and Matt Olson and the Athletics salvaged the finale of the series with a 6-2 victory over the Giants before a crowd of 35,920 at Oracle Park. The loss by the Giants put an end to their five-game winning streak.

Cole Irwin won for the sixth time on the season against seven losses, as he went eight innings, allowing zero runs on three hits, walking two and striking out eight This was the first ever appearance for Irwin against the Giants.

The eight innings pitched by Irwin tied his career high that was previously set on May 4,2021 against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Coliseum. In that game, Irwin went those eight innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking one and striking out nine and the Athletics won 4-1.

Sammy Long lasted just five innings for the Giants, as he allowed four runs on four hits, walked three and struck out three.

The Athletics blew the game open in the top of the sixth inning, as they scored three runs all against Long. Chad Pinder was hit by a pitch to start the inning, Tony Kemp singled and then Aramis Garcia drove in Pinder with an opposite field single. After Skye Bolt struck out for the first out of the inning, Irwin helped out his own cause, as he dropped down a perfect sacrifice bunt that Kemp score underneath the tag of Buster Posey, as Darin Ruf was unable to complete the nifty ball toss from the glove.

Ramon Laureano was then hit by a pitch, and then Elvis Andrus hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Garcia to score from third base.

The Athletics tacked on one more run in the top of the seventh inning, as Chapman scored on a Garcia single to left field and slid into home plate just underneath the tag of Buster Posey, who returned to the starting lineup after missing the first two games of the series with back stiffness.

Down to their final inning, the Giants began a quasi-comeback, as Mike Yastrzemski was hit by a pitch, then Posey lined a single off the right field wall that sent Yastrzemski to third base; however, Darin Ruf then grounded into a double play that scored Yastrzemski from third base.

Steven Duggar, who scored the winning run in Saturday nights 11-inning 6-5 thriller doubled to centerfield that scored Donovan Solano, who doubled after Ruf grounded into the double play.

Brandon Crawford, who did not start the game for the Giants came off the bench and struck out to end the game.

NOTES: Logan Webb threw a simulated game prior to the game, and threw 20 pitches. He will pitch at an affiliate this week, according to Giants manager Gabe Kapler.

In regards to the Giants becoming the first major league team to reach the 50 win plateau, and since the Wild Card era began in 1995, only three teams who were first to win 50 in a season have gone on to win the World Series, the 1998 Yankees, 2005 White Sox and the 2017 Astros.

UP NEXT: Anthony DeSclafani goes for his ninth win of the season on Monday night, as the Giants head back to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium for a brief two-game series, who will send Trevor Bauer to the hill, as he looks for his eighth win of the season.

Casali wins it in extras for Giants 6-5

San Francisco Giants LeMonte Wade Jr (right) gets congratulations from teammate Steven Duggar (6) after launching a two run fifth inning home run at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sat Jun 26, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

Curt Casali was back in the lineup for the San Francisco Giants and was in a rut going into his last at-bat, but ended the game with one swing of the bat.

Casali struck out in his first four at-bats, but hit a game-winning walk-off double that scored Steven Duggar from first base in the bottom of the 10th inning, and the Giants scored two runs to stun the Oakland Athletics 6-5 at Oracle Park for their 50th win of the season.

Duggar singled in Brandon Crawford from second base, as he tied up the game with his base hit off of former Giants reliever Burch Smith.

The Athletics took the lead in the top of the 10th inning, as Seth Brown scored from third base on a Matt Chapman sacrifice fly off of Giants closer Jake McGee.

Brown started the inning on second base, when to third base on a ground out by Ramon Laureano.

It looked like the Giants were going to win the game in the bottom of the ninth inning, but LaMonte Wade, Jr., was easily thrown out at the plate on a double by Crawford that saw a perfect throw from Tony Kemp to Chapman who threw to Sean Murphy to easily tag out Wade, Jr., to end the inning and the game went to extra innings.

Alex Wood went 5.1 innings for the Giants, as he allowed two runs (one earned), scattering four hits, walking one and striking out eight.

Dominic Leone unfortunately was unable to hold the lead, as he replaced Wood and gave up single to Mitch Moreland that tied up the game.

All in all, six relievers allowed four runs (three earned), walked one and struck out one and in the end, McGee won his third game of the season.

Wood threw a wild pitch that allowed Kemp to score the first run of the game for the Athletics in the top of the third inning.

Wade, Jr., gave the Giants the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, as he hit his fifth home run of the season.

After Moreland tied up the game in the top of the sixth inning, Chapman extended the lead up to 4-2, as he hit an opposite field home run.

Unfortunately, the Athletics bullpen was unable to hold the lead, as Wilmer Flores hit a single in the bottom of the seventh inning that scored Wade, Jr., and then Donovan Solano tied up the game when he hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

NOTES: With the victory, the Giants have won 10 out of their last 11 and 22 out of their last 29 games.

During the month of June, the Giants are now 16-6, trailing the Houston Astros, who are now are 19-4 in the month.

This is the first time since 1938 that the Giants are the first team to get to 50 wins in a season, this according to STATS, INC.

UP NEXT: Sammy Long takes the ball for the Giants on Sunday afternoon, as they look for the sweep, while the Athletics will send Cole Irvin to the hill.

Giants take Game one of the Bay Bridge Series 2-0

San Francisco Giants starter Johnny Cueto delivers a fifth inning pitch to the Oakland A’s at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Fri Jun 25, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jeremy Kahn

After a quick two-game road trip that saw the San Francisco Giants sweep the Los Angeles Angels, they returned home to face another American League West team.

Curt Casali, who was a late replacement for Buster Posey hit a big solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning, as the Giants defeated the Oakland As 2-0 before a paid crowd of 36,928 in the re-opening day for the Giants. This was the ninth win in 10 games for the Giants, who are now a Major-League best 49-26 on the season.

Johnny Cueto went seven strong innings, allowing just five hits, walking one and striking out six, as he raised his record to 6-3 on the season.

The Giants got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Brandon Crawford drove in Wilmer Flores with a single off of eventual losing pitcher Sean Manaea.

Tyler Rogers and Jake McGee came on in the eighth and ninth innings, to finish off the Giants 11th shutout, tops in the major leagues.

Rogers gave up a hit and struck out two before giving way to McGee, who struck out former Giants outfielder Skye Bolt for his 15th save of the season.

Manaea went six innings, allowing one run on three hits, walking three and striking out seven and allowed picked up a single and a double in his only at-bats, before he was replaced by Mitch Moreland, who flew out off of Cueto in the top of the seventh inning.

The double by Manaea was his first hit since the 2018 season.

The Giants could muster only five hits off of As pitching, as Mike Yastrzemski, Wilmer Flores and Mauricio Dubon picked up the other three hits on the evening.

When Crawford drove in Flores with the first Giants run of the evening, it was the 50th run batted in for Crawford on the season.

It was a tough night on the bases for the As, as they left nine runners on base and went `1-for-4 with runners in scoring position.

NOTES: Brandon Belt was placed on the 10-day disabled list (retroactive to June 24) with inflammation in his right knee. Lamonte Wade, Jr., was recalled from Sacramento to Belts place on the Giants roster.

Posey was scratched due to back stiffness.

The ceremonial first pitches prior to the game were thrown by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, who threw to Giants manager Gabe Kapler and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf threw the first pitch to former Giants reliever and current As reliever Sergio Romo.

UP NEXT: Alex Wood takes the mound for the Giants, while the As will send Frankie Montas to the mound.

Giants open 3 game series in SF with A’s; Belt back on IJ with leg injury

San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt seen in this Sat Jun 19, 2021 photo after hitting a home run against the Philadelphia Phillies and congratulated by third base coach Ron Wotus will be on the injured list after suffering a leg injury against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim on Wed Jun 23, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jessica Kwong

After sweeping the Los Angeles Angels in a two-game series to strengthen their position as the best team in the league with a 48-26 record, the San Francisco Giants enjoyed Thursday off. The Giants sit 4 games ahead of the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West.

The only bad news for the Giants from Wednesday was that first baseman Brandon Belt could be going back on the injured list. Belt suffered a possible leg injury while trying to score the go-ahead run when a throw to third base got away from the Angels’ Anthony Rendon. Giants manager Gabe Kapler said after the game that Belt injured his right knee and would get an MRI.

Belt’s apparent injury comes after he missed 11 games this season due to a left oblique strain. The Giants’ offense will suffer if Belt is indeed placed back on the injured list. With the team being off on Wednesday, there was no word on Belt’s condition, so fans will have to wait until Thursday to find out his status.

The Giants host the Oakland A’s for the first of three games in the Bay Bridge Series on Friday at 6:45 p.m. The crowd at Oracle Park is expected to reach close to full capacity, and be the biggest since 2019 before the pandemic. The Giants and A’s are two of the best teams in the league. The A’s (46-31) are second in the AL West and lost two of the first three games in the series against the Texas Rangers but won on Thursday. The Giants have won three straight games.

San Francisco’s starting pitcher on Friday will be Johnny Cueto, who has 68 hits, 27 earned runs and allowed eight homers, 11 walks, 47 strikeouts and has a 4.05 ERA across 60 innings this season. Meanwhile, Oakland will start with Sean Manaea, who has 84 hits, 29 earned runs and allowed eight homers, 21 walks, 89 strikeouts and has a 3.01 ERA across 86.2 innings.