Robbie Ray vs. Nick Martinez.
After close and dramatic contests on Thursday and Saturday (the former a victory for The Good Guys; the latter a loss), the San Francisco Giants and Cincinnati Reds are back in action today, for some series-deciding day baseball. In a few hours the Giants will either have their first series win of the season, or their first series loss.
Taking the mound for San Francisco is lefty Robbie Ray. 2024 wasn’t a great year for Ray, as he missed most of the year while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He made his season (and Giants) debut late in the year and had some struggles: in seven games he went 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA, a 4.96 FIP, and 43 strikeouts to 15 walks in 30.2 innings. But he was utterly dynamic in Spring Training, giving the Giants optimism that he has re-gained his Cy Young form: in five spring starts, Ray had just a 1.86 ERA and a 0.621 WHIP, while striking out 23 batters and allowing just one walk in 19.1 innings.
For the Reds it’s right-hander Nick Martinez, who returns for a second season in Cincinnati after signing the Qualifying Offer. The 34-year old had a strong 2024 splitting time between the rotation and the bullpen: in 42 games and 16 starts, he went 10-7 with a 3.10 ERA, a 3.21 FIP, and 116 strikeouts to 18 walks in 142.1 innings. Like Ray, Martinez had a strong Spring Training, sporting a 2.25 ERA.
Interestingly, the Giants are starting Luis Matos, rather than Mike Yastrzemski against a right-handed pitcher.
Enjoy the game, Giants fans!
Lineups
Giants
- LaMonte Wade Jr. — 1B (L)
- Willy Adames — SS (R)
- Jung Hoo Lee — CF (L)
- Matt Chapman — 3B (R)
- Heliot Ramos — LF (R)
- Wilmer Flores — DH (R)
- Luis Matos — RF (R)
- Sam Huff — C (R)
- Tyler Fitzgerald — 2B (R)
P. Robbie Ray (LHP)
Reds
- Matt McLain — 2B (R)
- Santiago Espinal — RF (R)
- Elly De La Cruz — SS (S)
- Christian Encarnacion-Strand — 1B (R)
- Jeimer Candelario — 3B (S)
- Spencer Steer — DH (R)
- Gavin Lux — LF (L)
- Blake Dunn — CF (R)
- Austin Wynns — C (R)
P. Nick Martinez — RHP
Game #3
Who: San Francisco Giants (1-1) vs. Cincinnati Reds (1-1)
Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati, Ohio
When: 10:40 a.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
National broadcast: n/a
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM