Series preview: SF Giants @ Dbacks, probable pitchers, players to watch

The SF Giants have a four-game series against a division foe to round out the week, facing the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Marc Delucchi | May 11, 2023

Series preview: SF Giants @ Dbacks, probable pitchers, players to watch /

In this story:

The SF Giants will have a chance to make some significant gains in the National League West standings this week with a four-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Dbacks got off to a hot start to the season, taking an early division lead, however, they are now 2.5 games behind the Dodgers with a 20-17 record. The Giants head into the series fourth in the division at 16-20.

Arizona Diamondbacks player to watch: Corbin Carroll

The 16th overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, Corbin Carroll is an electric outfielder who is living up to his true five-tool potential. After making his big-league debut as a 21-year-old last season, Carroll is hitting .294/.364/.513 with 9 doubles, 5 home runs, and 10 stolen bases in his first 35 games this season. There are few young players in MLB more exciting to watch than Carroll. The Giants will be in good shape if they can slow Carroll down, but if not, their fans will get to see an exciting young talent.

SF Giants player to watch: Mitch Haniger

The SF Giants signed Mitch Haniger to be a consistent middle-of-the-order contributor against lefties and righties. While he's been fine since coming off the injured list at the end of April, Haniger's middling .227/.255/.409 line is being propped up by two home runs in the altitude of Mexico City. With Austin Slater hitting the injured list, the Giants need Haniger to wake up even more.

Series prediction: Split

The Giants have only announced Thursday night's starter (Alex Cobb), but the rotation's three best starters should all take the mound. Frankly, the pitching matchups suggest the Giants should take three out of four, but given their underwhelming start to the season, I'm no longer aggressive.

Series details:

Who: SF Giants @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Where: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
When: Thursday 5/11-Sunday 5/14

Projected starters: Alex Cobb vs. Cole Henry*, TBD (best guess Alex Wood) vs. Ryne Nelson, TBD (best guess Anthony DeSclafani) vs. Zac Gallen, TBD (best guess Logan Webb) vs. Brandon Pfaadt

* signifies LHP

How to watch:

SF Giants broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area, KNBR 680/1510 AM
Diamondbacks broadcast: Bally Sports Arizona, 98.7 FM Arizona's Sports Station, KHOV Univision 105.1

Published May 11, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).