A three-game series against the struggling Chicago White Sox can’t come soon enough for the San Francisco Giants.
The Giants will open a 10-game road trip Friday night against the White Sox after finishing an unimpressive nine-game homestand with a 3-6 mark.
The flight from San Francisco to Chicago likely felt longer than usual after the Giants were swept by the Miami Marlins, who entered the three-game series 14 games below .500.
The Marlins capped the sweep with a 12-5 win on Thursday afternoon, knocking out starter Hayden Birdsong after four innings and then putting up five more runs against the bullpen.
“Frustrating to get swept,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Especially at home, coming off a pretty good series against the Red Sox.”
San Francisco had won two of three games against the Red Sox to climb back to 10 games over .500.
On Thursday, the Giants played without first baseman Casey Schmitt after he was hit on the hand by a pitch in the ninth inning of an 8-5 loss in 10 innings on Wednesday.
Melvin said the CAT scan came back negative for any fractures, but Schmitt’s hand is still considerably sore.
“There’s a pretty good bone bruise in there,” Melvin said. “We’ll see how he responds (Friday).”
The Giants have been hit by a high number of pitches in recent games, which Schmitt said is “kind of annoying.”
“I don’t think it’s intentional at all, but it’s definitely not a fun thing to have to go through, especially when you’ve gone through it before,” Schmitt said. “I’ve gotten hit in the face, I fractured my wrist — I’ve had these injuries up there, so it’s annoying and frustrating to get these things.”
Chicago, meanwhile, is coming off a 7-3 win against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday. The White Sox, with the worst record in the American League, haven’t won two games in a row since a three-game winning streak from June 5-7.
The White Sox also might be dealing with a key injury to outfielder Luis Robert Jr., who felt his hamstring tighten while chasing down a fly ball in the first inning on Wednesday.
“Still getting evaluated,” manager Will Venable said after the game. “Right now, hamstring soreness. Feel like he’s in an OK spot. Give him the off day, see where we’re at on Friday.”
Right-hander Aaron Civale is set to start the series opener for Chicago.
Civale (1-4, 5.03 ERA) has dropped the two starts he’s made since the White Sox acquired him in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers this month. Most recently, he allowed five runs and nine hits in seven innings of a 7-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.
Civale has done well in his four career starts against the Giants, however, owning a 3-1 record with a 2.01 ERA.
The Giants plan to start Landen Roupp on Friday. Roupp (5-5, 3.67 ERA) is coming off six shutout innings against the Red Sox on Saturday, leading San Francisco to a 3-2 win.
“When I’m in the zone, everything is good,” he said.
Roupp has yet to face the White Sox in his career.