Justin Verlander has not been to his best this season, but maybe a matchup with the scratching Philadelphia Phillies may prove to be cure.
Verlander takes the ball for San Francisco Giants on Tuesday as they continue their four-game road set against Phillies.
Through three starts for San Francisco, Verlander (0-0, 6.92 era) has not yet done so through six rounds once. He allowed six runs, five earned, in 5 2/3 rounds during a decision without a decision against Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. The 42-year-old right hand published the highest of the season in strikes (nine) and walks (three).
“I would have liked to have done better,” said Verlander, who was on the hook for the loss before his teammates gathered and got an 8-6, 10-inning victory. “It’s early, but I think you can see this team is pretty good.”
Giants looked strongly in the series opener on Monday and published a victory of 10-4 behind three RBIs from Tyler Fitzgerald and Mike Yastrzemski. San Francisco got its fourth victory in five matches. Philadelphia has received only 10 runs in the last five matches and lost four times.
Fitzgerald ended a single shy for the bike when he consistently delivered from place # 9 in the order.
“It’s time for the bottom of the range to rise for the top of the set,” he said. “I’m just happy to participate in the runs. We have some guys carrying us so far this season, like (Wilmer Flores) and Jung Hoo (Lee), and it’s important for some other guys to go up every now and then.”
In the meantime, Philadelphia went 1-for-11 with runners in points while losing for the fourth time in five matches. Phillies got three runs in the first round but added only a fifth inning solo homes from Nick Castellanos thereafter.
“I think they are trying to do too much, they will be happy pull-page happy,” said Phillie’s manager Rob Thomson. “Many ground balls. They have to get back to what we did early in the year – get good places to hit, check the strike zone and use the entire field.”
Thomson chose to rest Brandon Marsh, whose average is down to .108. Alec Bohm (.156) and JT Realmuto (.222) are among the other Phillies who still want to find their track.
“They just have to relax,” Thomson said about their team in general. “It will happen. We have a long way to go. … We have not played our best baseball, it is safe. We have to get better – and we will. We have a good club.”
If Philadelphia continues to fight for crime, at least the team can expect Jesus Luzardo to keep the opponent in check.
Luzardo (2-0, 1.50 era), acquired in a seasonal trade with Miami Marlins, has allowed only three runs in 18 rounds during his first three starts for Phillies. In two starts this month he has met a couple of talented crimes in Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves and has limited them to a run and eight hits in 13 rounds together.
Two current Giants players with good numbers against Luzardo are Flores (5-for-11) and Willy Adames (3-for-8), who met their first home run with San Francisco in the opener of the series. Luzardo owns a 1-1 record with a 7.23 era in four lifetime species versus Giants.
At the same time, Bryce Harper is 4-for-8 lifetime against Verlander. Phillies Outfielder Max Kepler is 1-for-23 against the three times the Cy Young Award winner, which is 3-1 with a 2.63 era in four career starts against Philadelphia.
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