- When: Thursday, June 20th at 7:15 PM ET
- Who: St. Louis Cardinals vs San Francisco Giants
- Starting Pitchers: Andre Pallante and Keaton Winn
- Where: Rickwood Field in Birmingham, AL
The San Francisco Giants will play the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday at the iconic Rickwood Field, a historic baseball park in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Giants will be playing with heavy hearts as they mourn the recent passing of the legendary Willie Mays.
Initially scheduled to attend this game, Mays had to cancel due to declining mobility in his final days, adding a poignant layer of emotion to this match.
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Game Preview
The Giants will aim to honor Willie Mays's legacy with a victory, a task that will heavily rely on the performance of both their offense and pitching.
The outcome of this game holds significant weight for the team and their fans.
The Giants' offense ranks 12th in batting average and 10th in on-base percentage. They are 13th in runs scored, 17th in home runs, and 17th in slugging percentage.
Ironically, despite Mays being one of the greatest base stealers in history, the 2024 Giants rank last in stolen bases, lacking many speedsters. However, they still have key contributors.
A Willie Mays mural was unveiled in Birmingham today 🧡🖤 pic.twitter.com/42visLcIfe
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 19, 2024
Thairo Estrada has had a solid season but has struggled against the Cardinals, batting .210 with 13 hits, five RBIs, and nine runs in 19 games.
Matt Chapman remains a power threat, hitting .333 with 13 hits, one home run, five RBIs, and eight runs in 11 games against St. Louis.
Michael Conforto, currently batting .234 with eight home runs, 22 RBIs, and 22 runs, will also look to make an impact. Pitching has been a weak point for the Giants, ranking 24th in team ERA.
Their bullpen hasn't been much better, ranking 23rd in ERA. To cover the spread, the Giants will need their hitters to produce runs and hope their starter, Winn, can avoid a collapse.
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Total Runs
The Cardinals want to gain ground in the playoff race as they start this series against a wildcard contender.
They need to improve their offensive output, ranking 19th in batting average, 23rd in on-base percentage, 26th in runs, and 20th in home runs.
Their slugging percentage is 18th, and they don't steal many bases, ranking 18th in stolen bases. The Cardinals have a mix of aging veterans and young talent who can make a difference.
Paul Goldschmidt has struggled this season but has performed well against the Giants, batting .302 with 173 hits, 31 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 98 runs in 161 games.
Nolan Arenado, despite a decline in numbers, has hit .285 with 171 hits, 33 home runs, 112 RBIs, and 94 runs in 151 games against the Giants.
Nolan Gorman with his 16th dinger of 2024!#ForTheLou pic.twitter.com/9UtBMczh6Q
— St. Louis Cardinals (@Cardinals) June 19, 2024
Nolan Gorman, batting .201 with 15 home runs, 33 RBIs, and 30 runs, started the season slowly but shows potential. Masyn Winn, a dynamic young player, is hitting .295 with four home runs, 26 RBIs, and 25 runs.
The Cardinals' pitching has been inconsistent, ranking 15th in team ERA and their bullpen 14th.
For the Cardinals to cover the spread, their veteran hitters need to perform, and they require a solid outing from their starter.
The Giants dominated the Cardinals 6-1 in 2023, but past records don't always carry over.
This game will have a somber atmosphere as Major League Baseball originally planned to honor Mays in person. Now, they will pay tribute to him in a different way.
While the Giants may not replicate Mays' prowess in clobbering baseballs or stealing bases, they will aim to honor him with timely hitting and sufficient pitching to cover the spread and secure a win.
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