Tag: MLB Spring Training

San Francisco Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, of South Korea, works out during spring training baseball on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Scottsdale Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

By Vince Cestone

The San Francisco Giants are off to a hot start in spring training, going 4-0 to start the Cactus League campaign. But what has really shined for the Giants so far–their pitching.

In their four wins, the Giants held their opponents to just 10 runs, no small feat in the thin, dry Arizona air. And five of those runs came in the first inning of the Cactus League opener where bullpen hopeful Hayden Birdsong struggled with his command. He’ll hope to bounce back in his next spring training appearance.

In the Cactus League opener on Saturday against the Seattle Mariners in Peoria, the Giants bounced back from Birdsong’s horrible outing and won the game 10-5 after being down 5-0 in the first. In his start, he was only able to get one out and gave up five runs, on three walks, while walking two. The knockout punch came when Mariners third baseman Miles Mastrobuoni hit a grand slam, to make the score 5-0.

The Giants bullpen, which used nine relievers, took over and pitched a scoreless 8 2/3 innings. Right hander Blake Tidwell headlined the impressive bullpen performance by striking out the side in his one inning of work. Tidwell was lighting up the radar gun in the high 90s and could make the team as a solid relief option in the late innings. The Giants acquired Tidwell in the Tyler Rogers trade last season.

On the offensive side, the Giants exploded for 10 runs. New Giants outfielder Harrison Bader smashed a 2-RBI double in the second inning, and designated hitter hopeful Bryce Eldridge also had an RBI double in the third inning.

In Game 2 against the Chicago Cubs, the Giants’ pitching shined in their 4-2 win at Scottsdale Stadium. Starting pitcher Robbie Ray wiggled his way out of trouble after giving up a hit and two walks in the first.

This is how Ray survived–with a triple play to get out of the inning.

Carson Seymour chimed in with a one-hit scoreless second inning. He’s also hoping to make the Giants bullpen once they break north for camp. Tristan Beck and Spencer Bivens, who were part of the Giants bullpen last year, also pitched scoreless innings.

On offense, new Giants second baseman Luis Arraez hit a single in the game in three tries. Third baseman Matt Chapman went 2-for-2 with a double. Will Brennan, who the Giants recently signed for outfield depth, contributed with an RBI single in the second inning. Through some small ball, the Giants scratched across four runs and beat the Cubs 4-2.

In the third game of spring training against the Athletics, the Giants again only gave up two runs, but this time added their first home run of the spring.

In the eighth inning, designated hitter Victor Bericoto hit a home run to right field, making the score 6-2 Giants. Bericoto also had an RBI-single in the sixth inning. This Giants prospect converted from catcher to the outfield in 2024. Bericoto signed with the Giants in 2018 as an international free agent.

On the pitching side, in the first inning, JT Brubaker gave up the only two runs the Giants allowed. Trevor McDonald, who made three appearances for the Giants last season, pitched a perfect second inning, striking out two. Marques Johnson was impressive, striking out the side in the sixth inning.

Arraez went 2-or-3 in the game, with a double, single, and 2 RBIs. Outfielder Jung Hoo Lee had a single in the game, going 1-for-3, and Luis Matos had an RBI single. The Giants defeated the A’s in dominant fashion, a rarity in the Cactus League, where the A’s have traditionally had the Giants’ number.

And on Tuesday, in the Giants’ fourth game of the spring, their pitching was better yet. The Giants beat the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 4-1, as ace Logan Webb shined in his two innings of work.

In those two perfect innings, Webb had four strikeouts. Landon Roupp followed with a strong scoreless third inning, allowing just one walk but striking out two. Matt Gage followed in the fourth inning with a perfect frame. In the fifth inning, embattled Giants closer Ryan Walker gave up one hit, but struck out two in his scoreless inning. Walker is vying for the closer role after the Giants decided not to sign one in the free agent market. Walker will be someone to watch this spring.

With the bats, the Giants only had four hits in the game but made the most of them. Lee went 1-for-3 with an RBI single, which opened the scoring in the second inning. The Giants scored the next three and final runs on sacrifice flies, including one from catcher Patrick Bailey. Bailey will look to improve things with the bat in 2026.

The Giants will next play on Wednesday afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers. Game time is 12:10 p.m. from American Family Fields of Phoenix. You can listen to the game on MLB.com.