San Francisco Giants left-hander Carlos Rodon will aim to keep his strong season going when he takes the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in Phoenix.
Rodon made the National League All-Star team due to his strong first half. He will make his 20th start of the campaign and has struck out 138 in 110 innings.
By reaching 110 innings, Rodon (8-5, 2.95 ERA) activated an opt-out clause in his two-year, $44 million contract. He now will be able to test the free-agent market after the season if he desires.
“It’s not all I wanted to do. I still want to keep pitching. There’s a lot of season left,” Rodon told reporters. “There’s a lot more games to be won. That’s what I’m worried about.”
Rodon received a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first start after the All-Star break. He gave up five runs and six hits over five innings last Thursday in Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old lost to Arizona on July 4 when he gave up four runs and five hits over five innings in Phoenix. It is Rodon’s lone career start against the Diamondbacks.
Jordan Luplow is 3-for-14 against Rodon. He homered against him when both players were in the American League.
San Francisco will hope for a strong outing from Rodon after dropping to 0-5 since the All-Star break with Monday’s 7-0 loss to Arizona. The Giants had just three hits, two of them on bunts while being stymied for eight innings by Merrill Kelly.
The Giants have been outscored 32-13 during the dismal stretch and continued a recent pattern of sloppy baseball in the opener of the three-game series.
Austin Slater dropped a deep fly to center — the play was scored a double — and Luis Gonzalez was picked off first to end the eighth with San Francisco trailing by five.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler admonished Gonzalez after the contest.
“That can’t happen,” Gonzalez told reporters. “That’s on me. It’s something I’ve got to learn from. I’ve got to calm my nerves out there.”
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks have won four of their past five games. They had 11 hits in Monday’s victory.
Arizona catcher Carson Kelly went 2-for-4 with a two-run double to increase his hitting streak to 13 games. He is batting .422 (19-for-45) with three homers, six doubles, 11 runs and nine RBIs during the stretch.
“I’m continuing to work hard off the field and keeping my body healthy,” Kelly said afterward. “It’s been great to go out there and be at full strength and go out there and perform.”
Josh Rojas, Jake McCarthy and David Peralta also had two hits. Rojas stole a career-high three bases.
Left-hander Tyler Gilbert (0-3, 5.34 ERA) is slated to start for the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. He also was scheduled as the Monday starter but was pushed back in favor of Merrill Kelly a few hours before first pitch.
Gilbert, 28, received a no-decision against the San Diego Padres on July 16 in his last outing. He gave up three runs and five hits over five innings.
Gilbert received a no-decision against the Giants in a home start on July 5 when he gave up one run and four hits over 3 2/3 innings. Overall, Gilbert is 0-1 with a 1.69 ERA in three appearances (one start) against San Francisco.
San Francisco hopes infielder Tommy La Stella will be available Tuesday. He has been on the COVID-19 list since July 8.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford (left knee) is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Tuesday but isn’t ready to be activated. Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (left calf) lined into a double play as a pinch-hitter Monday and is expected to be available off the bench again.
–Field Level Media