With a win against the Dodgers today, the San Francisco Giants can clinch a wild-card berth and avoid a potential one game playoff in St. Louis tomorrow against the Cardinals. The victory would set up a wild-card matchup with the New York Mets at Citi Field on Wednesday. The only scenario that would force the Giants to make a hasty trip east would be a loss today, coupled with a Cardinals victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, and former Giant Ryan Vogelsong, in their finale.
Participating in the one-game playoff is better than being out of the dance altogether, but manager Bruce Bochy would like to avoid the trip at all costs, saying before today’s game that he is willing to use every pitcher on his staff, save his last two starters Madison Bumgarner and Ty Blach, if necessary.
“As we’ve said so many times all hands on deck,” Bochy said.
“If I had to I’d use everybody. I don’t see that happening. We’ve got so many guys in the ‘pen who are available and a couple starters, but we’ll see what happens.”
Bochy has hardly had to dip into the bullpen in the first two games of this final series, with Bumgarner tossing seven-and-one-thrid innings on Friday and Blach dealing eight shutout frames yesterday.
Should the Giants head to St. Louis tomorrow, it’s assumed that Jeff Samardzija would be given the ball, it being his spot in the rotation, and considering he’s been a monster on the mound of late, allowing three runs and notching 24 strikeouts in his last three starts. Bochy has not confirmed that will be the case, however, and Johnny Cueto, who has been excellent for all of 2016, could be a potential option on short rest.
Today Matt Moore will be entrusted to help lead the Giants to the postseason, facing off against the Dodgers’ Kenta Maeda, who hasn’t given up more than three runs in 12 consecutive starts. Maeda is 3-0 with a 2.65 ERA in the 17 innings he’s pitched against the Giants this season.
Moore has been wildly unpredictable in his appearances against LA this year, nearly tossing a no-hitter on August 25, while also giving up 13 runs and 15 hits in his two losses against the Dodgers this season.
The Giants are seeking to make the playoffs for the fourth time in the last seven years. They’ve won the World Series the previous three times they’ve punched their postseason ticket.
If they do end up having to make the trip to St. Louis, Bochy is not planning on making a quick return flight to the Bay Area.
“Pack for a long trip,” Bochy said. “That’s the message to the club. I mean, how else are you going to do it?”