The San Francisco Giants will conclude their three-game series against the Houston Astros this afternoon at Daikin Park, with a first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. The Giants are riding high after winning the first two games of the series, bringing their record to 4-1 early in the season. They defeated the Astros 7-2 in the opening game, bolstered by a stellar performance from pitcher Jordan Hicks, who tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out six. Wilmer Flores shone at the plate, hitting a home run and driving in four runs during that game.
In the second game, the Giants secured another victory, this time with Logan Webb on the mound. Webb went seven innings, giving up only one earned run on five hits while adding six strikeouts to his tally. Heliot Ramos contributed significantly, hitting the only home run of the game for the Giants. Willy Adames also had a productive night at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two RBIs. The Astros managed to score just one run, courtesy of a home run from star player Jose Altuve in the fourth inning.
As the series wraps up, the Giants will send Landen Roupp to the mound for his first start of the season. Roupp, primarily a reliever last year, ended the 2024 campaign with a 3.58 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 50.1 innings pitched. His transition to a starting role will be closely watched, especially considering he will only pitch for an inning or two before being swapped out for a more traditional starter.
On the opposing side, the Astros will counter with Framber Valdez, who is coming off a stellar performance in his first start of the season. Valdez, boasting a 0.00 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, pitched seven scoreless innings against the New York Mets, allowing just four hits and striking out four batters. He will look to maintain his early-season dominance against a Giants lineup that has shown promise.
In terms of betting, the Giants are favored with -137 moneyline odds, while the Astros sit at +116. The run line is set at San Francisco -1.5, with a total of 8 runs for the game. The Giants have performed well as moneyline favorites, winning 57.5% of their games last season when favored, and they hold a 66.7% record as favorites with similar odds.
Looking at individual performances, several Giants players are expected to step up today. Willy Adames had an impressive season last year, slugging 32 home runs and collecting 112 RBIs while batting .251. Matt Chapman, who had a batting average of .247 and a slugging percentage of .463 last season, is another key player for the Giants. Heliot Ramos, finishing last season with a .269 batting average and 22 home runs, will also be one to watch.
For the Astros, Yordan Alvarez is a standout performer, coming off a season where he batted .308 with 35 home runs and 86 RBIs. Jose Altuve, who hit .295 last season, adds depth to the lineup with 20 home runs and 31 doubles. Yainer Diaz, another key player, had a .299 average with 29 doubles and 16 home runs last year.
As the Giants prepare to face Valdez, they will look to capitalize on their prior experience against him. Matt Chapman leads the team in at-bats against Valdez, although he has struggled with a .188 average in 16 at-bats against the left-hander. Meanwhile, Roupp will have the advantage of facing only one Astro, Christian Walker, who has a .333 average against him in three at-bats.
Today’s matchup promises to be an exciting one as both teams look to solidify their early-season standings. The Giants are eager to continue their winning streak, while the Astros aim to bounce back from two consecutive losses. Fans can catch the action on SCHN and NBCS-BA, or listen on KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM.
With the Giants seeking to sweep the series and the Astros determined to avoid a third straight loss, the stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to this series. Will the Giants maintain their momentum, or can the Astros turn the tide? Only time will tell as the game unfolds this afternoon.
