Rays cruise past SF Giants 10-2, dampening Wade Meckler's MLB debut

The SF Giants added a pair of new faces to the lineup on Monday, but the team's offensive slump continued in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

The SF Giants lost to the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night 10-2. The Giants made several roster moves prior to the game on Monday, hoping to spark some life into the team's struggling offense. The biggest name joining the big-league roster was 2022 eighth-round pick Wade Meckler (Giants #7 Prospect), who started in center field. The Giants also added former Atlanta and Phillies infielder Johan Camargo, who the team signed earlier in the week. Despite the new faces, the offense continued to struggle.

SF Giants opener Ryan Walker throws a pitch against the Rays on August 14, 2023 / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Giants opener Ryan Walker did his part, working around a walk and two singles in two shutout innings pitched. However, rookie Tristan Beck was unable to keep the momentum going in a bulk innings role. In fact, he had his worst performance in the majors.

This just in: Ryan Walker is nasty 🤢 pic.twitter.com/31Lwgp3ZKY

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 15, 2023

Beck has been a huge part of the Giants' success in bullpen games this season, but the rookie might have had his worst command of the season. He consistently missed his spots, often leaving pitches over the middle of the plate. Beck surrendered five runs on 10 hits and a walk across three innings of work. While he fell victim to some bad luck on a pair of RBI singles, he also allowed eight balls in play with at least a 95 mph exit velocity.

With Meckler and Camargo in the lineup, the Giants faced off against Rays ace Tyler Glasnow. The powerful 6'8'' righty has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but had his best stuff on display at Oracle Park. Glasnow's fastball sat in the mid-90s, topping out at 98.8 mph and paired with some excellent sliders and curveballs.

Glasnow breezed through the Giants' order early. One unheralded aspect of San Francisco's offensive woes is that opposing starting pitchers are rarely taxed early in games. With low pitch counts, starters have consistently worked deep into games preventing Giants' hitters from facing fringier middle relievers.

Joc Pederson sparked a run-scoring rally in the bottom of the fifth with a lead-off single. He advanced to second on a Michael Conforto walk and scored on an RBI single by Thairo Estrada. Then, after a deep flyout by Blake Sabol, Brandon Crawford worked a walk to load the bases for Camargo.

Thiaro gets the comeback started 😏 pic.twitter.com/FUz7F9ia0m

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 15, 2023

Unfortunately for the Giants, Camargo did not have any first-game magic in his bat. Instead, he struck out on three pitches. LaMonte Wade Jr. managed to make solid contact against Glasnow, but his soft line drive stayed in the air long enough for left fielder Randy Arozarena to corral it and end the rally. The Giants would not score another run against Glasnow, who struck out seven in his six innings pitched.

Meckler was not the only player to make an MLB debut at Oracle Park on Monday. In fact, another former Giants draft pick, left-handed pitcher Jacob Lopez made his big-league debut out of the bullpen for the Rays, replacing Glasnow in the bottom of the seventh inning. The southpaw, who the Giants traded to Tampa Bay for outfielder Joe McCarthy at the 2019 MLB trade deadline, quickly retired the first two batters he faced but found himself in a jam after a fielding error by first baseman Isaac Paredes.

Lopez surrendered a single to Camargo and hit J.D. Davis with a pitch to load the bases for Meckler. In a battle between the debutees, Meckler worked a full count but struck out chasing a breaking ball from Lopez that would have been ball four.

Giants manager Gabe Kapler clearly was hoping to get more length out of Beck, but had to put an unorthodox workload on veteran relievers Luke Jackson and Scott Alexander. The duo teamed up to cover the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, with Alexander recording five of the nine outs. However, they both threw at least 30 pitches and allowed the Rays to extend the lead to 8-1.

Taylor Rogers also struggled out of the Giants' bullpen, allowing two runs in the top of the ninth.

Estrada recorded his second RBI of the day with a two-out double against Lopez in the bottom of the eighth, which brought Conforto around to score. That was the last baserunner the Giants would manage against Lopez, who finished out the game and recorded a save for completing the last three innings.

Now 63-56 on the season, the SF Giants fell to nine games back of the Dodgers in the National League West and are just half a game ahead of the Marlins for the second Wild Card. They will look to avoid another losing streak back at Oracle Park tomorrow evening. Former SF Giants reliever Zack Littell, who has recently begun starting for the first time in the majors with the Rays, is scheduled to start for Tampa Bay. Kapler has not yet announced San Francisco's starter. First pitch is scheduled for 6:45 PM Pacific.