The Giants got a much-needed jolt Monday night, and now they’ll try to keep that momentum rolling behind a lineup that has a few spots worth watching closely.
San Francisco rolled past Toronto 10-1 in the opener of the three-game set, with Heliot Ramos delivering a huge night and Landen Roupp dominating on the mound. Ramos hit “three” home runs - one of them a triple that turned into a run on an Andrés Giménez throwing error, plus two balls that actually left the yard - and the Giants walked away with a rare feel-good result in a season that’s been full of rough ones.
Tuesday brings a different kind of test. Trevor McDonald gets the ball for San Francisco, while rookie Spencer Miles starts for the Blue Jays. It’s not the headline pitching duel Monday offered with Roupp and Kevin Gausman, but it still has plenty of intrigue for two teams trying to find something steadier in a middling year.
Miles has been impressive despite the limited sample. In just his third big league start, he’s put together a 2.83 ERA across 54 innings, with 55 strikeouts and 17 walks. McDonald, meanwhile, is still early in his own starting career, with 11 of his 13 career starts coming in 2026.
The Giants’ lineup for Tuesday looks like this: Heliot Ramos in right field, Luis Arraez at second base, Casey Schmitt at third, Rafael Devers at designated hitter, Jung Hoo Lee in center, Willy Adames at shortstop, Bryce Eldridge at first, Victor Bericoto in left, and Drew Cavanaugh behind the plate.
One of the biggest eyes-on matchups is Ramos against Miles. No Giants hitter has faced the rookie right-hander before, but Ramos is coming off the kind of night that can change the feel of a series. He’s been one of San Francisco’s most productive bats all season, and the question now is how Miles handles him near the top of the order.
Another spot to watch is behind the plate, where Cavanaugh gets a chance to work with a young starter in a tough spot. The 17th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft is appearing in just his eighth MLB game, and a start at catcher comes with plenty of pressure. With no history between Cavanaugh and Miles, both players are looking to make a strong impression.
Luis Arraez is the other name that stands out. With the trade deadline approaching, every Giants player is under a microscope, and Arraez is viewed as the club’s premier trade piece. That makes each at-bat matter for both him and the organization as the deadline draws closer.
The game is set for 6:45 p.m. PDT at Oracle Park.
NBC Sports Bay Area will carry the Giants broadcast, while Sportsnet and TVA Sports have the Blue Jays feed. Radio coverage will be on KNBR 680 and 1510 AM KSFN for San Francisco, and SN 590 The Fan for Toronto.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Fans Will Love Who Just Got Dragged Back Into Focus
One of the sports most familiar and polarizing umpires is back in the conversation, and Blue Jays fans know exactly why that matters. C.B. Bucknor, who has been working MLB games since 1996, is among six umpires set to retire after the 2026 season, a list that also includes Laz Daz, Brian O'Nora, Lance Barksdale, Marvin Hudson and Tony Randazzo. For Toronto, Bucknors name still carries plenty of baggage, especially after a viral 2025 moment at Rogers Centre when Max Scherzer made a coin-flip gesture in response to his strike zone.
Bucknor has not worked since April 1 after taking a 100.2 mph fastball off his face mask in a Brewers-Rays game, and his recent absence has only added to the sense that one of baseballs longest-tenured umpires is nearing the end of the line. He has also been a frequent focal point in the leagues new Automated Ball-Strike Challenge system, with seven of his nine challenge calls overturned, the highest rate among MLB umpires. For a Blue Jays fan base that remembers the flashpoints, the timing of his retirement news is the kind of detail that gets noticed right away. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Just Framed The Blue Jays Deadline Pressure Perfectly
With the trade deadline approaching, ESPNs Jeff Passan has put the Blue Jays in the kind of spotlight that usually comes with urgency, not comfort. His read is that Toronto is still operating like a club that could chase multiple upgrades, with pitching and position-player help both in play as the front office weighs how aggressively to push for a postseason spot.
Passans list of possible fits is broad enough to show just how many directions Toronto could go, from frontline arms to infield help and even catching depth. The bigger takeaway for the Blue Jays is the pressure baked into that kind of shopping list: if they are going to make a real push, they may need to act before the market and the standings leave them with fewer options. [Read more 🡒]
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Pulls Out Of All-Star Game At Crucial Time
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was voted in as the American Leagues starting first baseman for the 2026 All-Star Game, but he will not take part in the festivities. The Blue Jays slugger made the call before the starters were announced, choosing to use the break to recharge after a stretch in which his production has fallen short of expectations.
For Toronto, the timing matters as much as the decision itself. Guerrero has been managing a lower back issue for about a month, and the plan is to give him space to get right for the second half, where the Blue Jays will need him closer to his best. He also thanked the fans who put him in position to start, leaving the club with a notable absence but a clear reminder that the bigger priority is what comes after the break. [Read more 🡒]