The Giants head into Monday afternoon in Kansas City still searching for traction, and the matchup with the Royals gives them a familiar name on the mound in Michael Wacha. It also brings a lineup that will try to cash in on a few past successes against him.
San Francisco is coming off a rough opening to the second half, splitting the weekend in the wrong direction after a 7-0 win on July 17. The 4-3 and 6-3 losses to the Mariners quickly pushed the Giants back into the same frustrating spot they’ve occupied for much of 2026. Kansas City has had its own stretch of bad news, dropping series to the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles before finally grabbing a series win over the San Diego Padres this past weekend.
The game also carries a bit of extra flavor as a rematch of the 2014 World Series, the seven-game fight that ended with the Giants taking home their third title of the 21st century. That’s the kind of backdrop that can make even a midseason game feel a little heavier.
Here’s how the Giants line up behind Trevor McDonald, who enters at 3-7 with a 5.02 ERA, against Wacha, who is 5-7 with a 3.77 ERA:
2B Luis Arraez (L)
1B Bryce Eldridge (L)
3B Casey Schmitt
DH Rafael Devers (L)
LF Heliot Ramos
RF Jung Hoo Lee (L)
SS Willy Adames
CF Drew Gilbert (L)
C Daniel Susac
First pitch is set for 4:40 p.m. PDT at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The game will air on NBC Sports Bay Area for Giants fans and Royals.TV for Kansas City, with radio coverage on KNBR 680, 1510 AM and KSFN, plus 96.5 The Fan and the Royals Radio Network.
The most important individual battle may belong to Luis Arraez. He has seen Wacha 16 times and has done serious damage, batting .375/.375/.750 with two home runs and five RBIs. For a hitter known more for contact than power, that kind of production stands out.
Willy Adames has also handled Wacha well enough to matter. In eight plate appearances against the right-hander, Adames has three hits, including a home run. It’s a small sample, but it gives the Giants another bat with a track record they can point to.
Rafael Devers is the opposite story. He’s starting to swing it better after a slow beginning, but he has never collected a hit against Wacha.
His only result in the matchup is a walk. If Devers can finally break through, it could be a big piece of what the Giants need to come away with a win.
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That kind of urgency matters for the Giants because they have more than one outfield piece that could draw attention if the right deal comes along. Jung Hoo Lee, Heliot Ramos and Harrison Bader all give San Francisco different options in a market where a rivals injury situation can create leverage, and the next few days could tell a lot about how aggressively clubs are willing to chase outfield insurance. [Read more 🡒]
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It is the kind of medical map that forces a team to think in layers, not just weeks. Matt Gage is coming off a PRP injection for a left elbow strain, Jose Butto is continuing his throwing progression after right arm surgery, and Hayden Birdsong, Randy Rodriguez and Rowan Wick all sit on longer-term timelines that stretch well beyond the current push. Even with Chapman and Bader offering some hope for the near future, the overall picture is still one of uncertainty, and the Giants are left waiting to see which reinforcements arrive soon enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]