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SF Giants Press Clips Saturday, July 21, 2018

San Francisco Chronicle Giants top A’s 5-1 in matchup of astute pitching pick-ups

The two shrewdest recent additions to Bay Area rotations faced each other Friday night at the Coliseum, and veteran Edwin Jackson (A’s) and rookie Dereck Rodriguez (Giants) continued their stingy ways.

Jackson, signed to a minor-league deal June 6, turned in yet another quality start for Oakland, but Rodriguez outpitched him in the Giants’ 5-1 victory.

Infielder Ryder Jones, filling in while Brandon Belt was on a likely one-game paternity leave, provided the deciding blow off Jackson, a homer off the foul pole in right in the fifth inning, and Pablo Sandoval added a solo shot in the seventh to end Jackson’s night.

Rodriguez signed a minor-league deal with the Giants in November, and the team has won the past seven games in which the right-hander has appeared, including six starts. Friday, he worked 61/3 innings and gave up one run and three hits, walked none and struck out five while hitting two men.

“That was just a good job by Rodriguez,” Jackson said. “Sometimes you have to give the opposing the headline. He came out and pitched well, kept a great team off balance. His record shows the stuff he has, he has a good sense of what he’s doing out there.”

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Jones saw Rodriguez pitch in Triple-A early this season and was impressed.

“He’s super-confident,” Jones said. “He throws strikes. He’s one of those guys, when he’s on the mound he feels like he can get every hitter out. We feed off it.”

In a similar vein, Jackson hadn’t given up more than two runs in a start with Oakland before Friday. The Giants got their first in the fourth. Andrew McCutchen provided the first hit off Jackson, a one-out double, and, with two outs, Buster Posey, fresh off a cortisone shot Sunday for his sore right hip, swatted an RBI single to center. Posey said he definitely felt better after the shot.

Sandoval’s homer to right was the third and final run off Jackson, who had allowed just two homers in his first four outings.

“If we score more runs, we’re talking about what a good game he pitched,” A’s manager said. “Two mistakes.”

Jones’ stay might have begun and ended with Friday’s game, but he gave himself a nice souvenir — his third career homer. Last year, he began his big-league career with 17 hitless at- bats.

“I was hoping it hooked,” Jackson said. “But he hit it so hard, by the time it started hooking, it was already off the pole.”

McCutchen drove in a run with a sacrifice fly off Yusmeiro Petit in the eighth and he made two stylish sliding catches, robbing Matt Chapman of a hit in the fourth and Jonathan Lucroy of one in the fifth.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he liked everything about his club’s second-half opener, from Rodriguez’s pitching and the team’s defense to the clutch two-out hitting and two homers (after the Giants had hit just six in July).

“It had to be one of our better games,” Bochy said. “We played well in all facets.”

Petit, a former Giants reliever, was charged with a second run when Brandon Crawford’s single off Ryan Buchter sent in Steve Duggar. Petit had been unscored upon in his previous five games and 11 innings.

The A’s are averaging 3.7 runs at home compared to 5.4 on the road, but Friday’s scoring issues were more to do with the Giants’ , according to Melvin. “Every one of their guys pitched well, and their starter was terrific,” Melvin said.

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The A’s dropped the first game of the three-game series at AT&T Park a week earlier but came back to win the next two there.

Friday’s game drew 45,606, the A’s first sellout since April 3, 2017. The team is opening Mt. Davis for Saturday night’s game in the hopes of setting an all-time attendance mark at the Coliseum — and all tickets for the Mt. Davis section have been sold out. There were tickets remaining elsewhere as of Friday night, but the A’s believe they’ll have a good shot at surpassing the current record of 55,989, set on June 26, 2004, against the Giants.

Oakland’s post-break rotation appears set. Melvin said that, as anticipated, left-hander Brett Anderson will start Monday at Texas and Frankie Montas is likely to go Tuesday. That means that Daniel Mengden will remain at Triple-A Nashville for the time being. “We’ll see where this five goes right now,” Melvin said. “When Mengden’s pitching well, he’s pitched as well as anyone on our staff. My guess is we’ll see him at some point, but I’m not really sure when.”

Anderson has a 6.08 ERA, so he could be on a short leash with Mengden in the wings.

San Francisco Chronicle : The DH debate rekindled Bruce Jenkins

As the Giants assemble their designated-hitter strategy for Phase 2 of the Bay Bridge Series at the , the argument is rekindled once again: Is the DH good for the game?

It won’t ever disappear entirely, which is a real shame, from this viewpoint. When commissioner said he favors future expansion and a 32-team structure, it was easy to imagine — and then dismiss as pure fantasy — the elimination of interleague play and authentic baseball throughout.

Manfred made another interesting statement, though, more central to the issue. Reponding to a claim by players’ union head that the universal DH is “gaining momentum,” Manfred countered that if the DH is added in the National League, “there’s a brand of baseball that is done. I think there’s going to be some hesitation with respect to that. The most likely outcome remains the status quo.”

Cue thunderous applause.

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The beauty of the current setup is that we have it both ways. The pro-DH crowd gets a steady dose and the National League purists are satisfied. It’s a lively, healthy dialogue, and if things get a little awkward this weekend, or during the , let it ride.

So many smart people enjoy the DH, I begin wondering if I’m a complete lunatic. Then we learn that a couple of prominent pitchers, the Astros’ and the Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright , spoke up for the traditional game during the All-Star break. “It’s just the way baseball is supposed to be played,” said Wainwright. And one of the most revered voices in the game, broadcaster Mike Krukow , had a simple but telling line the other night while watching one of the Giants’ pitchers hit.

“The beauty of baseball,” he said, “is being able to swing a bat.”

That’s my argument exactly. People don’t take up the game so they can try to field a line drive at close range. Standing on a mound and trying to stay composed? That’s not for everybody. A kid’s first love is with his bat. You can’t go to a sandlot, ramshackle field or conventional diamond without one. And if you do — in the or just about everywhere else at the game’s lower levels — you can’t call yourself a ballplayer.

Baseball is nine-on-nine, no specialists allowed. You hit and you field, and you run and you throw, and then the judgments come forth. The better athletes can override their weaknesses with strengths — or maybe they’re a one-note talent relegated to the bench. I know this is all Dick-and-Jane stuff, but it always comes back to the basics for me. There has never been a game so magnificently designed as baseball. If somebody gets to crack the starting lineup without holding a bat — sorry, that’s just wrong.

A surge of diversity

It’s been reported for years that young African American athletes aren’t playing baseball, but perhaps a revival is at hand. , a Reds prospect, took the mound in last Saturday’s Futures Game and threw a 103 mph pitch. Infielder Ke’Bryan Hayes (Pirates) and outfielder Taylor Trammell (Reds) put on a show. Exceptional African American talent was everywhere that day: pitchers Justus Sheffield (Yankees) and C.D. Pelham (Rangers) and outfielders Buddy Reed (Padres), Kyle Lewis (Mariners) and Jordon Adell (Angels). Marveling at the spectacle, ESPN’s Harold Reynolds suggested that with so many parents talking their kids out of playing football, youth baseball is on the rise. ... That game also provided a pretty good argument for the pitch clock. Everyone’s used to it in the minor leagues. It’s not even an issue. The pitchers work faster, the hitters spend less time dawdling, and the pace is noticeably better. It’s time for the majors to at least experiment with the clock, ideally during next year’s . ... Watch out for the Padres in the near future. They have stockpiled 10 of the top 100 prospects ranked by mlb.com, including shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (No. 3)

4 and catcher Francisco Mejia , acquired in the Cleveland trade for reliever Brad Hand . Mejia had a 50-game hitting streak in the minor leagues two years ago, and he’s a switch-hitter.

Wikipedia is a pretty valuable research tool, but you never know if it’s been tampered with. In the piece labeled “History of the ,” it’s claimed that “in the 1964-65 season, the Warriors traded Wilt Chamberlain to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jose Bustillos .” Somebody pen the correction! For the record, Wilt was dealt for Connie Dierking, Paul Neumann, Lee Shaffer and cash (which is almost as baffling as Jose Bustillos) ... The Kawhi Leonard saga got downright bizarre when he was traded to for DeMar DeRozan , who admitted being devastated after his longtime devotion to the Raptors’ organization. Said the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown on ESPN: “If Kawhi doesn’t want to go to Toronto, and DeMar doesn’t want to go , I’m not sure it’s a good trade for either one. It’s tough to play if your heart’s not there.” ... And the gap continues to widen between Golden State and the rest of the league. Carmelo Anthony will make only a marginal difference in , if he winds up there, and ex-Hawk Dennis Schroder , about to team up with Russell Westbrook in the backcourt, won’t help OKC at all. ... Rumors tend to be little more than that, but it was hilarious to hear that Nick Young might sign with Houston. You wonder if CP3 ( Chris Paul ) wants any part of Swaggy P. ... There was only one , and that goes for all time, when it comes to the daunting task of calling football and basketball play-by-play with accuracy, panache and opinions. But comes awfully close. Replaced by in the Raiders’ radio booth? As the move to Las Vegas “creeps nearer” as one story noted, this is a creepy move.

San Francisco Chronicle A’s, Giants winning on fie;d but not likely to win trade battles Bruce Jenkins

There’s no way to soften the news for Giants fans: That Manny Machado deal was a killer. The Dodgers, given up for dead after the season’s first six weeks, look like a reasonable bet to get back to the World Series.

For the A’s, who lost Game 4 of the double-weekend Bay Bridge Series on Friday night, the trade market is a little bit frightening as well. The highest cards have yet to be dealt, but there’s a sense that the elite franchises — teams the A’s might face if they reach the postseason — could load up in ridiculous fashion.

Such was the prevailing mood around the Coliseum, with a lively gathering of 45,606 on hand (announced as a sellout, although several hundred seats were empty). This is a fascinating series, among the most compelling cross-bay confrontations we’ve seen in decades. Down deep, though, how relevant are these teams in the bigger picture?

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Let’s stop right here and consider the beauty of this game. When the next NBA season begins, maybe two teams will be anywhere near the Warriors’ class. Make your plans now for another set of Finals games in Oakland. Baseball isn’t that way. The Giants proved that over three World Series appearances, and it’s not quite inconceivable that both San Francisco and Oakland could go deep in this year’s postseason.

There is such a thing, however, as reasonable thought.

Whatever skeptics think, the Giants’ executives like their team. They know it’s flawed, but a lot of delightful, improbable things have happened this season. There’s character in the clubhouse and an influx of young talent led by Dereck Rodriguez, Andrew Suarez, Ray Black and Steven Duggar (might as well throw in Ryder Jones, who got a start at third base Friday night and homered off Edwin Jackson).

One would hope there’s at least a measure of contentment, for the Giants aren’t equipped to make big noise before the trading deadline. They aren’t about to trade Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, or Brandon Belt, not with the NL West so tightly bunched. There won’t be substantial offers for the likes of Jeff Samardzija, Hunter Pence or Mark Melancon.

Knowing how Brian Sabean and Bobby Evans like to operate, count on something happening by month’s end. If it’s a hitter with power, terrific.

The Giants certainly have earned respect throughout the division, particularly in the mind of Arizona pitcher Zack Greinke, who told reporters, “I wish the Giants would have listened to the media and just given up on the season. Everyone in the world wanted them to rebuild, and they turned themselves into a really good team by just trying to win.”

Coming up with a response to the Dodgers’ acquisition of Machado? That’s an entirely different story.

“We’re talking about a superstar, man,” said L.A. reliever Kenley Jansen upon Machado’s arrival. And there’s no way the Dodgers should settle on a half-season rental. If they can convince him to sign a long-term deal — as opposed to signing with the Yankees, a team he has longed to join — they’ll figure out a way to get Machado, Corey Seager and Justin Turner in the infield next season.

“Paul George said he wanted to be a Laker, and he stayed in Oklahoma City,” Jansen said of the NBA All-Star who surprisingly signed a new contract to remain with the Thunder this offseason. “Maybe that could happen too, and Manny could stay a long time with us.”

The A’s mustered only a shred of offense Friday night against the impressive Rodriguez, but the 5-1 loss carries no deep meaning — nor should we believe that this six-game Bay Bridge Series

6 will determine the teams’ stances on chasing October. A better gauge for the A’s will come over the next few days, when their schedule lists Texas, Colorado and Toronto.

The truth about the A’s is that they could make a sensational deal if they saw fit. They have attractive (if not necessarily available) veterans in Jed Lowrie and Blake Treinen. They have young talent all over the field, and throughout their minor-league system. A package of, say, five highly regarded players could net them a big-time starting pitcher.

Does that really make sense, though? The A’s have gone down that road before, only to sour the clubhouse mood and come up well short of postseason glory. They’re the talk of baseball these days with their power hitting, lockdown and a knack for late-inning comebacks. Such pleasant cohesion is a precious commodity, not to be spoiled without a damn good reason. (The A’s are interested in a more low-key deal, involving Mets reliever Jeurys Familia, and that would significantly improve the club.)

When the sublimely talented traded for Brad Hand, the ’ closer, it might have set off a chain reaction that finds the Red Sox, Yankees and Astros pulling off major deals. For now, the A’s only concern is catching the Mariners, fighting a midseason malaise and waiting for Robinson Cano’s mid-August return from an 80-game drug suspension.

It’s something they can handle. If the Coliseum starts filling up for games that don’t involve San Francisco, that would be nice, too.

San Francisco Chronicle Giants not in their happy place as they open second half Henry Schulman

Welcome back to baseball. Here are the results of the Giants' past 20 games at the Oakland Coliseum: L L L L L L W W L L L L L L W W L W L W.

What a great place for the Giants to start their second-half push! Hey, at least they're trending in the right direction.

If you don't want to count them up, The Chronicle is here for you. The Giants are 6-14 at the Coliseum since 2010 and have lost a lot of games here when the A's were not good. Now the A's are good. That .300 winning percentage is the Giants' lowest at any road park in the championship era.

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During their three title seasons, the Giants went 0-3, 2-1 and 0-2, so it's not exactly a harbinger.

Dereck Rodriguez faces the A's for the first time, while the A's throw Edwin Jackson at the Giants for the second time in eight nights. They "got him," so to speak, for two runs in six innings in last Friday's 7-1 Giants victory, the only game San Francisco won in its half of the home-and-home.

No roster moves are expected ahead of this game, or at least weren't as of a couple of days ago.

Fighting Manny? The biggest question on this reporter's social media feed the past two days has been how the Giants will "respond" to the Dodgers' acquisition of Manny Machado.

So, since Brian Sabean began running this show in mid-1996, he and his crew have never made a move simply to counter another team's move. For any team, that is the best way to make a bad deal.

The Giants have to decide what's best for them, now and in the future, and right now they are in a holding pattern.

They are one of those dreaded teams in the middle, unsure with 10 days before the deadline whether to buy, sell or stand pat. The front office needs to watch how the team plays series by series in a tough part of the schedule, with three in Oakland, two in Seattle and four at home against the Brewers, which will take them through July 30.

Then, they choose.

If they remain buyers, what do they buy? According to some national reporters, they have checked on Mets closer Jeurys Familia and Orioles reliever Zach Britton.

Those are some awfully big-ticket items for a team that supposedly is trying to stay under the luxury-tax cap and does not have the deepest farm system around. But adding relief does fit the Giants' modus operandi.

In today's vernacular, there is run scoring and run prevention. The former is straightforward and probably the Giants' biggest need. Run prevention comes in many forms: rotation, relief, even defense.

With Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija as question marks due to health, the Giants probably could use another seasoned starter, but those are harder to find than relievers.

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At the moment, assume the Giants have $2 million to spend without surpassing the cap. That would allow them to buy a $6 million player since two-thirds of the season will be gone. If they can move another $2 million payroll, and have a $4 million cushion, they can get a $12 million player.

So look for the Giants, like other teams in the middle, to be buyers and sellers.

San Francisco Chronicle Giants’ Madison Bumgarner does not expect to bat in Oakland again Henry Schulman

A Madison Bumgarner start in an American creates intrigue. Will manager Bruce Bochy let Bumgarner bat?

The answer was always no until June 30, 2016, when Bochy ceded the designated hitter in Oakland and wrote Bumgarner into the ninth spot in the lineup, the first time a team had used a pitcher instead of a DH in 40 years.

Bumgarner doubled and scored in the Giants’ 12-6 win.

He is not expecting to hit again when he pitches Saturday night.

“I haven’t talked to him, but I don’t think I will be,” Bumgarner said Friday. “I feel we’ve got plenty of guys. We were running a little short at the time,” meaning the bench in 2016. Bumgarner did not pitch in Oakland last year.

Bumgarner has not gotten untracked at the plate since his return from a broken hand. After hitting .206 with three homers last year, he has one single in 18 at-bats in 2018. He did hit into two hard outs in his final first-half start against the A’s on July 13. Like any hitter, he said, he feels more comfortable with more at-bats.

“I think more than anything it’s repetition,” he said. “I didn’t hit much when I was rehabbing.”

Longoria timetable: Evan Longoria could be activated as early as Tuesday, less than seven weeks after a Dan Straily pitch in Miami fractured his glove hand.

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Longoria went 2-for-3 with an RBI double Friday in his first rehab game for Triple-A Sacramento. He played five innings on defense and is expected to play seven Saturday. The Giants will use Monday’s off day to assess whether the third baseman is ready to return for Tuesday’s series opener in Seattle.

Belt out: First baseman Brandon Belt started the second half on paternity leave awaiting the birth of his and wife Haylee ’s second son.

To replace him, the Giants recalled Ryder Jones from Sacramento. Jones started at third base in his first big-league game this season. He hit .173 in 150 at-bats as a rookie last year and was hitting .299 with nine homers for the River Cats.

Machado reaction: Bochy reacted to a question about the Dodgers’ acquisition of Manny Machado the way he always does when asked about another team’s move. He always says the Giants need to worry about themselves.

This time he expressed it more emphatically, saying, “We’ve got to pick it up over here. Playing a couple games over .500 is not going to work.”

Panik update: Second baseman Joe Panik (groin strain) took batting practice and could begin his rehab assignment next week.

San Francisco Chronicle Giants Samardzija gets injection hoping to end shoulder woes Henry Schulman

Last year at this time, Jeff Samardzija figured prominently in trade rumors because the Giants were terrible, and players on terrible teams often are dealt.

This year, Samardzija’s name popped up because the Giants have not hidden their desire to move money if they want to fill other needs and remain under the luxury-tax threshold.

And, like last year, the Shark is not going anywhere in July. His third trip to the disabled list this year assured that. The only questions now are when he will pitch for the Giants again and how he can prevent another relapse of the shoulder pain and stiffness that keep suppressing his velocity, keeping him off the mound.

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Manager Bruce Bochy revealed Friday that Samardzija had a platelet-rich plasma injection Monday. While Samardzija is technically in the running to pitch as hoped in Seattle on Wednesday, Bochy suggested that would be a reach, even if a bullpen session Sunday goes well.

Derek Holland could pitch instead. If he is needed in relief before then, the Giants could promote Chris Stratton, who started for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday night and would be on turn.

Behind some of this year’s trade talk was the notion that Holland, plus rookies Dereck Rodriguez and Andrew Suarez, have given the Giants enough rotation depth to make Samardzija expendable.

That depth also allows the Giants to tread more cautiously with Samardzija, who remains a significant investment.

He has $46 million left on a five-year deal that runs through 2020 and has produced just 22 wins in 74 starts (although he was a significant contributor to the 2016 playoff push).

“Guys have been throwing great,” Samardzija said. “We want to make sure that where we’re at in the season now, I’m 100 percent healthy going forward to help this team win.

“I guess there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is we’re back here where we’re at. The good news is after doing this once or twice we’ve got a really good plan moving forward.”

The plan is more trial-and-error than foolproof.

Samardzija and the medical staff need to determine what caused the injury to recur in his second start off his second DL stint, be it weight work, the amount he throws between starts or even batting practice, then pluck those out of his routine.

Samardzija is eager to contribute to the stretch drive and reduce that 6.25 ERA. He was hopeful after he allowed three runs in five innings in his 81-pitch return from the DL on July 7 because his velocity was there from the get-go.

A week later, against the A’s, the physical issues resurfaced. He allowed two runs in four innings against Oakland, threw 55 pitches and was done.

Asked if he felt pain or stiffness, Samardzija said, “There’s a little of both. It’s been different. For the most part the best way to describe it is a little bit of a dead arm, like your little brother cold- cocked you in the arm. Then you shake it out and you’re fine a minute or two later.”

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Samardzija said his arm felt great when he made his final start last year, so he rested in the offseason as a pitcher would after throwing a career-high 2072/3 innings. This winter will be different. Rest will be replaced by treatment and strength work in a bid to come to spring training ready to go.

For what’s left of this year, Samardzija does not want to be half a pitcher on the mound anymore. He said he did not have to go on the DL, and could have kept pitching, but he wouldn’t be himself.

“We’re trying to go,” he said. “I’m not trying to hold back. I want to know what’s there and see if I can do it. To be effective in the big leagues, you’ve got to put it all on the line, every pitch.”

San Jose Mercury News Three things to watch with the Giants vs. A’s Kerry Crowley

Pitching matchups

Friday: Dereck Rodríguez (4-1, 2.89) vs. Edwin Jackson (1-1, 2.59), 6:35 p.m. NBC

Saturday: Madison Bumgarner (3-3, 2.90) vs. Trevor Cahill (1-2, 3.10), 6:05 p.m. NBCSBA

Sunday: Johnny Cueto (3-1, 2.36) vs. (9-6, 3.42), 1:05 p.m. NBCSBA

The skinny: After losing two of three to Oakland at AT&T Park last weekend, the Giants “hit the road” and travel across the bridge to play three more against one of the hottest teams in baseball.

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The Giants are 10 games under .500 on the road this season, but the club won’t have to get on a plane or change time zones for this series. Additionally, after four days of rest, a team loaded with veterans should have fresh legs and fire in the belly knowing the race just became tougher following the Dodgers’ acquisition of Manny Macahdo.

What to watch for

1. The evaluation stage draws to a close

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The trade deadline is looming and the results from the Bay Bridge Series should help dictate whether the Giants are interested in buying or selling at the deadline. Whether executives like to acknowledge it or not, recency bias always comes into play when trade talks heat up, so performances in this series could help sway general manager Bobby Evans and executive vice president of baseball operations Brian Sabean one way or another.

Do the Giants have enough starting pitching to contend? Is the bullpen deep enough to make it through August and September? Should San Francisco look to add a power hitter before July 31? All of these questions are being asked, and even though the Giants don’t have much financial wiggle room under the luxury tax threshold, all avenues to improve the club will be considered.

2. How Bruce Bochy manages the pitching staff

The Giants can typically count on Madison Bumgarner to work deep into games and save most of the bullpen, which would be a nice luxury to have in the middle of a tough series against a strong offensive club.

But after four full days off, every reliever should be ready and Bochy should have no trouble calling to the bullpen early in a game, especially considering the Giants have another off day Monday.

The health of Johnny Cueto’s elbow will continue to be monitored closely, and it’ll be interesting to see whether Bochy plans to have long reliever Derek Holland pitch in relief of Cueto Sunday.

If the Giants can save Holland this weekend, the left-hander may start Wednesday’s game in Seattle even though Jeff Samardzija (shoulder) will be eligible to return from the disabled list. Should Holland need to throw against Oakland, it’s possible Chris Stratton will be promoted from Triple-A if the Giants would prefer Samardzija to continue resting.

3. How Buster Posey fares with fresh legs

The Giants catcher dealt with a hip injury throughout the first half of the season and skipped the All-Star Game so he could receive a cortisone injection.

Posey has been limited to playing in about three quarters of the Giants’ games this season, but they’re hopeful the injection and rest during the break will serve him well. Though he may

13 never post the power numbers he did in the past, the Giants would love to see one of the best pure hitters in the game hit for more pop now that he’s had some time to recover.

If Posey is able to catch more often and pack more of a punch at the plate, the Giants will look like a more complete team during the second half.

San Jose Mercury News Giants return from All-Star break with new third baseman, update on Londoria Kerry Crowley

OAKLAND–Five different players have already started a game at third base for the Giants this season, but the club will send a new player out to the hot corner Friday in Oakland.

The Giants recalled infielder Ryder Jones from Triple-A Sacramento Friday and placed first baseman Brandon Belt on the paternity list. Belt and his wife Haylee are expecting their second child Friday and the new father is hoping to be back in the lineup Saturday.

Jones, 24, joined the Giants last summer and hit .173 over 150 at-bats while playing third base and first base. After an injury derailed his progress in spring training, Jones began the season with the Sacramento River Cats and hit .299 with nine home runs in his team’s first 81 games.

One of the oldest Opening Day rosters in baseball now has a significant amount of emerging talent, as Jones is the youngest player on a roster that includes six rookies.

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It’s unlikely Jones will remain on the roster once Belt returns, but if the Giants want to keep a left-handed hitter around all weekend, the club could option infielder Kelby Tomlinson back to Triple-A.

The Giants anticipate their starting third baseman, Evan Longoria, will rejoin the club within the next week as the veteran is beginning a rehab assignment with Sacramento Friday. Manager Bruce Bochy said Longoria (fractured hand) will play five innings Friday, seven innings on Saturday and a full game on Sunday before the team reevaluates him in San Francisco on the off day Monday.

Longoria fractured his pinky after being hit by a pitch in Miami on June 16 and was initially

14 expected to be out until August. After undergoing surgery to repair the fracture, Longoria has been ahead of schedule throughout his recovery process and could rejoin the team Tuesday in Seattle.

The Giants have struggled against left-handers since Longoria was placed on the disabled list, losing five of their last six against lefty starters.

Panik on the mend

Second baseman Joe Panik took batting practice and fielded grounders Friday as he recovers from a groin strain.

Bochy said the infielder could start a rehab assignment toward the middle or end of next week, which would allow him to return to the club in the final days of July or at the beginning of August.

San Jose Mercury News Giants showcase the value of ‘found money’ in win over A’s Kerry Crowley

OAKLAND–The Giants have one of the highest payrolls in baseball this season as they’re brushing up close to the $197 million luxury tax threshold thanks to an extensive list of bloated contracts.

But as the club started the second half in Oakland, their 5-1 win over the A’s was all about money found instead of money spent.

The Giants are paying pitcher Dereck Rodríguez and utility infielder Pablo Sandoval the major league minimum, but both turned in efficient performances to lead the team to a series- opening victory.

“It started with Rodríguez, what another nice job he did,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “A nice job pitching, got us into the seventh there and really had all of his pitches going again.”

Rodríguez tossed 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball, lowering his season ERA to 2.72 after the Giants signed him to a minor league free agent deal this offseason. Though the right-hander had never thrown an inning at Triple-A during six seasons in the ’ organization, the

15 team’s decision to allow him to walk this offseason has turned into the Giants’ gain.

“After I signed with the Giants in the offseason, I felt like it was a fresh start and I wanted to make a good impression,” Rodríguez said.

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Though Sandoval was a known commodity when the designated him for assignment last summer, the utility infielder has emerged as one of the Giants’ most valuable performers this season. His seventh inning solo shot extended the Giants’ lead to 3-1 and marked his 14th home run with San Francisco since he rejoined the team last August.

While Boston is on the hook for the remainder of the $95 million contract Sandoval signed through the end of the 2019 season, Sandoval now has as many homers since coming back to the Giants as he hit during his two-plus seasons with the Red Sox.

A third player earning the minimum salary also aided the Giants’ cause, but Ryder Jones was making his 2018 debut after one of the members of the team’s core needed time off.

Brandon Belt was not at the ballpark Friday, as the Giants first baseman spent the day with his wife Haylee who gave birth to the couple’s second son, August Kyle.

While Belt was welcoming a new member to his family, the Giants welcomed Jones’ familiar face back to theirs.

After needing 18 at-bats to record his first hit with the Giants last season, Jones wasted little time making an impact Friday as his fifth inning shot off the right field foul pole broke a 1-1 tie and helped the Giants improve to 51-48.

“It feels good, last year it took me five or six games to do something,” Jones said. “It feels good to get in here and help the team win in some capacity. I didn’t imagine hitting a homer, though.”

The Giants’ cheapest players weren’t the only contributors, though, as right fielder Andrew McCutchen, shortstop Brandon Crawford and catcher Buster Posey also delivered RBIs in the win.

After hitting six home runs in June, McCutchen had yet to record an extra base hit in July until

16 he launched a one-out double off the left center field wall in the fourth.

McCutchen’s double was also the first hit of the night for the Giants against A’s starter Edwin Jackson, a right-hander who allowed two earned runs over six innings in his start against San Francisco last Friday.

The Giants right fielder advanced to third on a Crawford groundout before Posey laced a two- out single into left center field to even the score 1-1. After receiving a cortisone injection to heal his ailing hip Sunday, Posey returned to action Friday and reported feeling fresh and healthy heading into the second half.

His 32nd RBI of the season came off a pitcher in Jackson who has given him trouble through the years, as Posey entered Friday’s game hitting .095 against the A’s starter. After the Giants offense slumped into the All-Star break, Posey understands what an offensive surge could mean for the club moving forward.

“We know, it’s a group of guys that have been around for awhile and we’ve got to get these guys some run support,” Posey said.

Aside from starting the Giants’ first rally, McCutchen turned in one of his best defensive games of the year as he made a pair of sliding catches to rob Oakland of hits and recorded eight putouts, the most by a Giants right fielder since Randy Wynn had eight April 7, 2006. Both of McCutchen’s grabs ended 1-2-3 innings for Rodríguez, who settled in nicely after allowing the A’s to take an early lead in the second inning.

“He’s super confident, he exuberates confidence on the mound and he works quick,” Jones said of the rookie starter. “He’s one of those guys when he’s on the mound, you feel like he thinks he’s going to get every hitter out. We kind of feed off of it.”

MLB.com Jones, Panda find power stroke, back Rodriguez Chris Haft

OAKLAND -- Rediscovering the long ball Friday night, the Giants received home runs from Ryder Jones and Pablo Sandoval to support another resolute pitching performance by Dereck Rodriguez in a 5-1 Interleague victory over the Oakland A's.

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The Giants hadn't homered twice in a game since June 19, 25 games ago. They came out of the All-Star break with six homers since July 1, the fewest in the Major Leagues during that span.

View Full Game Coverage Those facts became obsolete before a lively Oakland Coliseum crowd of 45,606 that watched Jones, freshly arrived from Triple-A Sacramento , hammer an Edwin Jackson pitch off the facade of the second deck in right field to break a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning. Two innings later, Sandoval extended the Giants' edge to 3-1 with his ninth homer of the season.

Summoned here when first baseman Brandon Belt began his paternity leave, Jones almost surely will retreat to the Minors when Belt returns. But Jones may have left an impression with his prodigious drive, which eclipsed anything he did while batting .173 in his 53-game trial with the Giants last year.

"I don't know how long I'll be here, but I just want to show them that I've made a couple of adjustments," said Jones, who mentioned that he has "shortened" his swing and is no longer preoccupied with hitting home runs.

The evening's most complete performance belonged to Giants right fielder Andrew McCutchen , who doubled and scored in the fourth inning, drilled a sacrifice fly in the eighth and made sliding catches of two sinking line drives.

McCutchen's balanced effort was a microcosm of the club's.

"We played very well in all facets," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Got the long ball, but we played small ball too. Got the bunt down, got a sac fly, two-out hits, great game on defense. [Shortstop Brandon] Crawford made a nice play, Cutch had a heck of a game with a couple nice catches out there. He got us going with the double. Buster [Posey], nice job of getting the big two-out base hit. Overall, it had to be one of our better games."

All of that provided ample support for Rodriguez (5-1), who whittled his ERA to 2.72 after allowing fewer than three runs, in 6 1/3 innings, for the seventh time in eight starts. The rookie right-hander remained precise, walking none and allowing three hits, along with Oakland's lone run.

"He's one of those guys who, when he's on the mound, you feel that he thinks he's going to get every hitter out," Jones said. "And you kind of feed off of it."

Rodriguez didn't get overly excited about his winning streak, which he lengthened to four decisions.

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"Every day is a new day," he said. "You could have a really good game or you could have a really bad game. I just go out there and concentrate, pitch by pitch, inning by inning, and whatever happens, happens."

That remark reflected Rodriguez's steady demeanor on the mound, which isn't too surprising, given the bloodlines he shares with his father, Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

"Yeah, I feel real calm," he said. "I don't let a lot get to me. The only person I really let get to me is myself. Unless I throw a pitch where it wasn't supposed to be thrown, or a mistake pitch and I know I could've gotten the guy out if I had thrown it where I wanted it. Besides that, it's baseball. They [opponents] are trying to make a living also. So, have fun."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Posey demonstrated the improvement in the condition of his troublesome right hip by lining a fourth-inning RBI single that opened the Giants' scoring.

"Better," he said of his hip. "So I'm happy with that and we'll keep moving forward."

SOUND SMART McCutchen finished with eight putouts, one short of his career high. It's the highest putout total by a Giants right fielder in a nine-inning game since Randy Winn also had eight on April 7, 2006, at .

UP NEXT The Giants have won four of the last five games started by Madison Bumgarner , who received the assignment for Saturday's Interleague rematch at Oakland. According to Baseball Info Solutions, Bumgarner has had no trouble settling on a favorite off-speed pitch this season. Opponents are 2-for-39 (.051) in at-bats that have ended with his curveball. Bumgarner will oppose right-hander Trevor Cahill , who owns an 11-4 Interleague record.

MLB.com Belt placed on paternity leave; Jones called up Chris Haft

OAKLAND -- First baseman Brandon Belt 's paternity leave could be brief.

"From what I've been hearing, he'll be here [Saturday] playing," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said before Friday night's Interleague series opener against the A's.

View Full Game Coverage As of Friday afternoon, Bochy said that Belt's wife, Haylee, had not yet given birth to the

19 couple's second child.

Belt's absence left the Giants without their top run producer. Belt is batting .287 in 81 games with team-high totals in home runs (13) and RBIs (42).

Pablo Sandoval replaced Belt at first base, batting sixth. Ryder Jones , recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to replace Belt on the roster, started at third base and batted seventh. Jones, who hit .173 with two homers and five RBIs in 53 games for San Francisco last year, hit .299 with nine homers and 48 RBIs in his first 81 games at Triple-A Sacramento.

Samardzija receives PRP injection Jeff Samardzija 's third stint on the disabled list this season might also be his shortest.

The right-hander's shoulder inflammation won't require surgery, and Bochy did not rule out Samardzija starting in Seattle on Wednesday.

"He did have an MRI on Monday, then he had a PRP [platelet-rich plasma] shot," Bochy said. "So we'll see where he's at Sunday, whether he can take his bullpen or not."

The Giants will likely wait until Sunday to determine Samardzija's next step.

"I think I could have started on time after the break," Samardzija said. "It wouldn't have been perfect, but it would have been doable. I think we're being smart about it. Luckily, this team has put me in the situation to have the ability to come back and wait until I'm a hundred percent, with how good the young kids are pitching."

Samardzija made two starts since he was activated on July 7. He pitched a total of nine innings and allowed five earned runs, striking out four and walking three.

Longoria begins rehab stint Evan Longoria embarked on a rehab stint in Triple-A Sacramento, Friday. The third-baseman has been sidelined since June 14 with a fractured left hand.

"Evan is going to play five innings tonight, he'll play seven tomorrow, then we'll see how he feels," Bochy said. "But more than likely, he'll play Sunday. They're off Monday, we're off Monday, then we will evaluate him at that point. I can't say he'll be up with us, but we'll see where he's at."

Panik nearing return Joe Panik , who was placed on the disabled list July 7 with a left groin strain, has begun

20 participating in baseball activities.

"Panik will be taking batting practice today and ground balls at second base," Bochy said. "He could be starting rehab as soon as the middle of next week or the back end of the week."

NBCsportsbayarea.com Up for one night, Ryder Jones takes advantage of Giant opportunity Alex Pavlovic

OAKLAND -- In the seventh inning Friday night, 26-year-old starter Dereck Rodriguez gave way to 25-year-old Reyes Moronta. Rodriguez jogged to the and sat next to Andrew Suarez, 25, and the two rookies watched Moronta strand a runner. A few minutes later, 24-year-old center fielder Steven Duggar strolled to the plate and roped a single into right.

There's a youth movement in San Francisco, but you might have known that already. Rodriguez, Suarez and Moronta were a big part of the story of the first half and Duggar made waves over the final week.

What you might not have realized is that another player in the middle of all the action Friday night is actually younger than all four of them. Ryder Jones got 150 big league at-bats last season and had not been seen since, and it's often easy to write a player off when he disappears for a stretch. But Jones, a former second-round pick, is still just 24. He was born seventh months after Duggar, who previously was the youngest player on the roster.

There's still plenty of time for Jones to find his stride and live up to the promise he has shown at times. On Friday, there was another flash of that talent. Jones hit a long solo homer in the fifth, giving the Giants a lead they would never let go. With a 5-1 win over the A’s, the Giants got their second half off to a rocking start and tied this Bay Bridge Series at two games apiece.

Jones is likely headed back to Sacramento. The plan was for him to come up for one day to fill in while Brandon Belt witnessed the birth of his second son, and he certainly took advantage of the opportunity.

“I thought the homer was huge for him,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “It was huge for us. He’s been doing a nice job there in Sacramento the last month. He’s doing what we were hoping this year, having another big year. That’s all he needs is at-bats and experience. He’s got the tools to be a nice big-league player.”

Jones struck out in his first at-bat, but got ahead in the count 2-0 the next time up. Edwin Jackson tried to sneak a slider across the inside of the plate and Jones crushed it. Both players leaned — in different directions — and watched as the ball clanked high off the pole.

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The Giants are leaning heavily on rookies this year, but Jones was part of a 2017 class that never found footing. Just about every player in that group got hurt, and most struggled in the majors. Jones batted .173 last year, striking out in a third of his at-bats. With Evan Longoria brought over and Pablo Sandoval locked in, Jones didn’t get much time this spring. He picked up outfield play in Scottsdale, hoping to increase his versatility, but he has primarily been the third baseman in Sacramento. At the time of this latest promotion, Jones was batting .299 in Triple-A, with nine homers, 15 doubles and 48 RBI.

He’ll head back to a River Cats squad that has provided plenty of help. Rodriguez started the season there. On Friday, he allowed one run over 6 1/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 2.72.

“I trust my stuff. I trust my stuff,” Rodriguez said. “I was just going after them.”

NBCsportsbayarea.com Dereck Rodriguez sets second-half tone, leads Giants to win vs A’s Alex Pavlovic

OAKLAND — To make a run at a division title, the Giants need Dereck Rodriguez to match his big first half. Perhaps the rookie has bigger plans.

Rodriguez took the ball on the first night of the second half and allowed just one run on three hits against a tough A’s lineup. He departed with one out in the seventh and the bullpen took it home, clinching a 5-1 win that evened this Bay Bridge series at two games apiece.

Here's what you need to know from the first game back...

--- Rodriguez walked none and struck out five. He lowered his ERA to 2.72.

--- With Brandon Belt on the paternity list, Ryder Jones was called up for a spot start. He certainly made the most of it. Jones jumped on a 2-0 slider from Edwin Jackson in the fifth, smacking a homer off the right field foul pole. The blast was the third of the 24-year-old’s career. He hit two last season as a rookie.

--- Andrew McCutchen had a pair of sliding catches. The robbery of Jonathan Lucroy in the fifth inning had a catch probability of just 66 percent.

--- Pablo Sandoval hit a no-doubter to right in the seventh inning. It was his 14th homer since returning to the Giants last summer, matching his total in Boston.

--- The A’s announced a crowd of 45,606, a sellout. They’re expecting a few thousand more on Saturday.

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NBCsportsbayarea.com Giants Notes Alex Pavlovic

OAKLAND — There is no move the Giants can make to counter the Dodgers’ acquisition of Manny Machado. The shortstop was the best player available, and he’s now on the team the Giants are chasing.

Before Friday’s game, Bruce Bochy didn’t seem that worried about countermoves, anyway. His concern is in his own clubhouse.

“We can’t control that,” Bochy said of the Machado trade. “The only thing we can control is what we do here. Overall we’ve got to pick it up a little bit. I don’t think playing a couple of games over .500 the rest of the way is going to work.”

Bochy's players then went out and did exactly what he had hoped. The Giants beat the A's 5- 1 in their second half opener, getting another strong performance from Dereck Rodriguez, strong outfield defense, and a bunch of quality at-bats with runners in scoring position. They kept pace with the Dodgers, who beat the Brewers 6-4, with Machado reaching base four times in his first game in blue.

Bochy said he thinks the NL West will be a battle down the stretch. More than anything, he’s looking for consistency from his club, particularly the offense.

“It’s up to us to probably pick up our level of play,” he said.

--- Andrew McCutchen had eight putouts in the win, including a couple of sliding catches. The eight putouts were the most by a Giants right fielder since Randy Winn caught eight balls on April 7, 2006.

--- Evan Longoria had two hits, including an RBI double, in three at-bats for the Sacramento River Cats. The outing was the first of at least three Longoria will make as he comes back from a fractured finger. There’s a chance he’s in the lineup Tuesday night in Seattle.

--- Over the break, the Giants promoted right-hander Shaun Anderson from Double-A to Triple- A. Anderson gave up four hits and two runs, walked three, and struck out six in five innings in his River Cats debut . He had posted a 3.45 ERA in 99 Double-A innings, earning a trip to the Futures Game last Sunday.

Anderson came over in the Eduardo Nuñez trade last July and it appears the Giants did very well. Some scouts now consider him the organization’s best pitching prospect, and he is

23 generally viewed as a solid bet to at least be a back-end type in the rotation. Now that he’s in Triple-A, it’s possible Anderson could help the big league club out of the bullpen this season.

The Athletic Bruce Bochy challenges his team in pregame meeting, and Dereck Rodríguez finds his true identity as Giants win in Oakland Andrew Baggarly

Giants right-hander Dereck Rodríguez is son of a Hall of Famer. He is looking forward to experiencing fatherhood for himself. But not necessarily to extend his baseball bloodlines to a third generation. “I do Legos,” Rodríguez said. “Lots of Legos. I can’t wait to have a kid so I can buy stuff for him and it’s really for me.” Lego sets. Funco figurines. Comic books. Anything with a Batman logo stenciled on it. Rodríguez reached into his locker and produced a shiny Batarang mounted on a lacquered frame, a recent gift from teammate Derek Holland. To paraphrase a certain wise ball writer, Rodríguez, 26, is old enough to be comfortable with the things that keep him young. He is also all grown up on a major league mound, despite the fact that he made just his eighth major league start Friday night and that he hadn’t thrown a pitch, professional or otherwise, until he was a 21-year-old with new legs, balancing himself on the rubber one day for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican winter league in 2013. Giants manager Bruce Bochy has a method to how he orders his rotation, and it is not always about maximizing matchups and recovery time. Sometimes, part of his method involves setting a tone for a season, for a series or for the first game out of the All-Star break. Bochy held a pregame meeting in which he challenged his fourth-place club to make their move in the standings. Then he had no hesitation about handing the ball to a rookie and a pitching convert who spent most of his baseball life searching for his true identity. He has discovered it now. Rodríguez couldn’t have thrown a Batarang with more precision. He held the A’s to one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings and fresh call-up Ryder Jones hit a tiebreaking home run off the foul pole in the fifth as the Giants used a complete effort to take a 5-1 victory over the A’s at the Coliseum. It was one of their most satisfying, well-rounded victories of the season. “Just overall, it had to be one of our better games,” said Bochy, who closed the clubhouse for a pregame meeting in which he told his 50-48 club that the time for dithering had passed. “We covered some stuff we needed to cover,” Bochy said. “We said a few things: ‘You know, hey, we’re way past the halfway point. We need to turn it on here.’”

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You’ve probably watched enough of this team, or read and digested enough All-Star break analysis by now to know where and how the Giants need to be better in these final two-plus months. You know the probabilities, the potential regressions and the reasons to cling to hope. You know that Manny Machado is a Dodger. So let’s stick with a simple one: the Giants’ 19-29 road record has to flip in this second half. They cannot merely win at home and break even on the road. They have to gain a foothold with every series. The Giants can accomplish that if they stick Friday night’s game in the mimeograph machine and load up the paper. Here were some of the more notable contributions: — Andrew McCutchen scorched a double and scored the Giants’ first run, he hit a sacrifice fly and he filled in the entire Etch-a-Sketch in right field. He ended with eight catches on the night, the most putouts by a Giants right fielder in a nine-inning game since Randy Winn in 2006, and two of them were sliding grabs that ended innings and saved Rodríguez’s pitch count. If you’re going to be forced to run around right field like Billy from Family Circus, you might as well do it after getting a four-day refresher. McCutchen and his family spent their break in Newport Beach, slipping into wetsuits to go boogie boarding with Hunter Pence and helping to bury Holland up to his neck in sand. (Someone drew six-pack abs in the sand for Holland. Social media really does enrich our lives from time to time.) McCutchen arrived with the Giants as a full-fledged superstar, capable of carrying a team for stretches or taking over a ballgame. Aside from his 6-for-6 night in April, he hadn’t really done that despite overall solid play. So that extra flash was a welcome sight for the Giants on Friday night. — Jones arrived for the first time this season from Triple-A Sacramento, where he was putting together an encouraging year with a shortened swing, and responded with a home run that clanked off the pole and left his bat at 112.1 mph — the second-hardest hit home run by a Giant this season, behind only Mac Williamson’s missile to right-center in Anaheim on April 20. The Giants still play “Bye Bye Baby” at AT&T Park after every home run. It would’ve been especially appropriate here. Jones joined the Giants because they needed a one-game replacement after placing Brandon Belt on the paternity list. “I don’t know how long I’ll be here,” Jones said, “but I just want to show them I’ve made a couple adjustments. I’m more comfortable here.” Belt tweeted a photo of himself in front of a hospital room TV — “Me and my boy watching the Giants take care of business” — next to his new son. The Belts named him August “Augie” Kyle, after late University of Texas coach Augie Garrido, proving once again that those who teach leave an impression beyond their own footprints. — Pablo Sandoval hit a towering home run from the left side, doubled off the wall from the right side, and nearly became the first Giant to homer from both sides of the plate since … well, Sandoval did it in 2012.

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— Brandon Crawford did not misplace his Gold Glove at while making a couple of subtle highlight plays. And Buster Posey’s right hip injection must have done him some good, since he caught Rodríguez and will catch Madison Bumgarner on Saturday. Posey dropped in an RBI single, too. It was an encouraging night for the Triple-A club in El Paso, too. Evan Longoria (fractured hand) went 2 for 3 with a double in his first rehab game, and there’s a possibility he could be activated to face Mariners left-hander James Paxton at Safeco Field on Tuesday. Williamson extended a hitting streak to five games and might have recaptured his punishing swing when he drove in eight runs over a two-game span at Fresno earlier in the week. “He was back to swinging it how he was swinging it earlier in the season,” Jones said of Williamson. “It was really impressive. He hit two backside doubles. That’s how you know he’s swinging it good.” The Giants appeared ready to benefit from hitching themselves to Williamson’s star in late April, before he sustained a concussion while trying to make a catch amid the bullpen mounds. There’s no minimizing what kind of impact Williamson could make on this second-half offense if he begins to swing it that way again. In addition, Chris Stratton struck out 10 in six innings in El Paso and put himself in contention to return to the rotation Wednesday at Seattle, when the Giants must settle on a No. 5 starter. At the very least, Stratton’s encouraging start will make it easier for the Giants to use Holland in relief should it be necessary, especially if Johnny Cueto needs someone to back him up in Sunday’s Bay Bridge series finale here. The Giants are not ruling out Jeff Samardzija being activated for Wednesday, but Bochy’s hedge is probably more of a courtesy than anything else. Samardzija, who is on the DL for the third time this season with a cranky shoulder, had a platelet-rich plasma injection over the break and there was a hope he could throw off of a mound Sunday. An MRI exam ruled out structural damage sufficient to bring surgery into the conversation, but Samardzija, now 34 and with two more years on his contract, acknowledged he can no longer allow his athleticism to carry him through any rough stretches. The days of resting in the offseason are over. “We’re trying to go,” he said. “I’m not trying to hold back. I want to know what’s there and see if I can do it. To be effective in the big leagues, you’ve got to put it all on the line, every pitch.” Samardzija led the NL with 207 innings last season, and taken out of context, his absence would be a major blow to the Giants rotation. It’s a tribute to the contributions from Rodríguez and Andrew Suárez that Samardzija’s shoulder seems less a concern now and more a concern because of the $18 million he’ll drain from the payroll in each of the next two seasons. Rodríguez not only set a tone, but he pitched into the seventh inning for the fourth consecutive start. His 2.72 ERA is the third lowest among all big league rookies to make at least five starts. It did not bother him to pitch in front of a rowdy gathering of 45,606, which represented not only the A’s first sellout of the season but their largest home crowd since 2005.

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“I trust myself,” he said. “I trust my stuff. I just go after ‘em.” It’s high time that Rodríguez gets a nickname. Yes, he’s been called “Little Pudge,” after his father, and no, that would not be his first choice by a longshot. Former Giants coach and TV analyst Tim Flannery calls him “Sugarman,” after Sixto Rodriguez, the long-haired 1960s mystery musician whose story became the subject of a fascinating documentary. Rodríguez is happy with something simpler. “D-Rod,” he said. “Or D. Just straight D.” No nonsense. Just like how he pitches. Rodríguez joined the Giants in February as a six-year minor league free agent after the Minnesota Twins declined to put him on their 40-man rotation, so he was a mystery to his own teammates in the spring and early in the season at Sacramento. But Jones said he isn’t surprised that Rodríguez is enjoying this kind of success so quickly at the big league level. “No, because he’s super confident,” Jones said. “I really didn’t know him that well. I kept asking, ‘Who is this guy?’ It was like he’s been pitching in the big leagues for 10 years. He had a really good pace to everything. “I mean, very, very early on, he emerged and just kept going.” In the postgame scrum, someone asked Rodríguez if he treated the extra rest like a Friday night starter in college. “I didn’t pitch in college,” he said. High school, then. “I didn’t pitch in high school.” He connected with DC Comics long before he took to the mound. Rodríguez wears a Batman undershirt when he pitches and he has tattoos of Batman and the Joker on his upper left arm. Later on, he decided he wanted a full sleeve. “But I didn’t want to go with something random,” he said. “So I’ve got Joker’s girl, Harley Quinn, on one side, and Batman’s girl is Catwoman, right? I didn’t really want to go with Halle Berry. So I went with the original, Michelle Pfeiffer.” Hey. It’s not his fault he’s too young to remember Eartha Kitt or Lee Meriwether or, purrrrr, Julie Newmar. Anyway, now you know why the Giants’ fabulous find of a rookie right-handed pitcher is secure enough to have Michelle Pfeiffer’s face tattooed on his left arm. And maybe now you begin to understand why he’s able to take the mound, look for Posey’s sign and have enough assurance in who he is and what he does to never spend an instant doubting himself.

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ESPN.com Keith Law's midseason top 50 prospects update Keith Law

A handful of promotions earlier this season have shuffled the top of my rankings, which now feature five players signed as international (July 2nd) free agents in the first five slots. The list also skews quite young, with teenagers constituting more than 20% of the players here. Players are only eligible for this ranking if they still have rookie status and are not on a major league roster or disabled list as of this writing.

Law's preseason top 100 prospects | Team-by-team draft recaps: AL | NL 1. Fernando Tatis Jr., SS, San Diego Padres

I know, he's not the guy you expected here, and he's not the most famous prospect in the minors right now, but he is the best prospect still in the minors.

Tatis is now 19, raking in Double-A, showing strong plate discipline along with plus raw power, at least a 70 arm, plus speed, tremendous instincts, and quick hands on both sides of the ball -- even when it comes to the transfer on double plays or how well he tags runners. He did have a rough April, having skipped high-A entirely, but from May 1 until he left for the Futures Game, he hit .333/.406/.577, and his home park in San Antonio is not a good place for power.

He could still outgrow shortstop, but right now he looks like a plus defender there, and he'll be easily plus or better if he has to move to third. If you don't see a high-impact player here, you need to look again.

2. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 3B,

Guerrero's bat belongs in the big leagues and it's the best in the minors, bar none. It's an 80 hit tool, and because he's so strong and his hands are so quick, it's 80 power, too. If you're a fantasy player, and you want to know who the best prospect is, it's Guerrero. But position and defense matter, and Guerrero is not a third baseman in anything but name right now. He's enormous for the position, and at 19, he's more likely to get bigger than smaller. He has a tremendous arm, and his hands are fine, but he's not mobile or agile enough for anything on the dirt other than first base. I'd try him in right field first, but he's going to play somewhere at the wrong end of the defensive spectrum, and might not be good anywhere. And there's a real concern about how big he'll be even in his late 20s, given how his body is already changing for

28 the worse.

ADVERTISEMENT That's all merely my way of explaining why he's No. 2 and not No. 1 on this list. He might still hit like Miguel Cabrera, a defensive nonentity who got big young and still hit like a star until age 34, and nobody will begrudge Baby Vlad those last few pounds.

3. Eloy Jimenez, OF,

Jimenez continues to hit for average and power while showing an extremely advanced and patient approach at the plate. He's doing this now in Triple-A at age 21 while playing primarily left field as he has gotten bigger and maybe lost a half-grade of range in the process. He might not be a defensive asset as he fills out, but he looks very much like a middle-of-the-order bat who'll hit 30 bombs with a high OBP and should be in the White Sox lineup on Opening Day next season.

4. Victor Robles, OF,

Robles is the Tahani Al-Jamil of prospects. Just when it appeared he was about to get his moment in the sun, he injured his elbow when a statue of fellow Nats outfield prospect Juan Soto fell on him*, and he missed three months before returning for a rehab assignment in early July. (*Note: No statues were actually involved in Robles' injury.)

Robles is a true center fielder with plus-plus speed, a good eye at the plate, and at least the potential to hit for above-average power. The hyperextended left elbow shouldn't have long- term effects on his career, although it probably cost Robles close to a year of major league service and a few hundred at-bats of development. If the Nats lose Bryce Harper to free agency, however, they wouldn't be in bad shape with Robles and Soto in their 2019 outfield.

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5. Francisco Mejia, C, Cleveland Indians

Editor's note: Mejia was traded to the San Diego Padres on Thursday, July 19.

Mejia is stuck in neutral a little bit, partly because there's no place for him to play in Cleveland right now with Yan Gomes entrenched at catcher and no other clear spot Mejia can play, and partly because Mejia got off to a terrible start this year. He hit under .200 through the end of May, then went 45-for-99 in June (.455/.476/.717) to just sort of remind everyone he was still good.

I do think Mejia is someone's regular at catcher, where he has a plus arm and fringy receiving/other skills but could hit enough that someone moves him to third base or another position just to get him in the lineup 150 times a year. Whether that's in Cleveland or elsewhere remains to be seen.

6. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego Padres

Gore missed a month because of a blister on his throwing hand, came back for two short outings, then missed another month before coming back for good, with his best start of the year coming Sunday: 10 in five innings.

He works in the mid 90s to both sides of the plate with a plus curveball, above-average changeup, and relatively new slider that is very tight and runs up to 89 mph. He's hyper-athletic and repeats his delivery, even with a high leg kick, well enough to project above-average command. There's nobody quite like him in the minors, and he projects as an ace as long as he stays healthy.

7. Nick Senzel, IF,

Senzel hit .310/.378/.509 in 44 games for Triple-A Louisville, missing a month because of vertigo symptoms, and probably would have made his MLB debut next month had he not torn a tendon in his right index finger, an injury that ended his season.

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He's a natural third baseman who has played more second because of the presence of Eugenio Suarez in Cincinnati, although I'd prefer to see Senzel stay at third, where he became an above- average defender through his own hard work. The lost development time is lousy, as was the injury's timing, but he should be ready to contribute for the Reds on Opening Day next year.

8. Forrest Whitley, RHP,

Whitley is the best right-handed pitching prospect in the minors, and I know some executives who think he's the best pitching prospect in the minors, period, an easily defensible position given his size (6-foot-7), three-pitch arsenal and success up through Double-A so far. But he missed 50 games this year because of a positive test for a stimulant, made six starts for Double- A Corpus Christi, and is now on the disabled list because of an oblique strain, so the 2018 season is looking like a bit of a lost year for him -- not a negative but not the outcome everyone wanted.

He could help the Astros in a relief role in September, and he should be in their rotation by this time next year, with at least a No. 2 starter future and some chance for more depending on what you think of his command.

9. Michael Kopech, RHP, Chicago White Sox

Kopech has better pure stuff than Whitley does, but less command and control right now, so while Kopech could develop into Noah Syndergaard -- a player he has said he wanted to emulate, a fine choice indeed -- he has more risk than other pitching prospects of his caliber.

Kopech works in the upper 90s and regularly hits 100; his slider and changeup will both flash plus, but neither is consistent, and he walks too many guys, unsurprising given how hard he throws. He's fourth in the minors with 122 strikeouts, leading all of Triple-A, and his rate is second best in the minors. But he's also walking one of every seven batters, and if he comes up now, he's going to struggle even as he misses bats.

I do think there's Syndergaard-Justin Verlander upside here, but with lower probability of success than Whitley or Gore offers.

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10. , OF, Angels

The biggest riser in the minors this year has to be Adell, the 10th pick in last year's draft who destroyed low-A pitching and has hit .314/.353/.597 since a quick promotion to high-A -- although he's understandably walking a lot less and still striking out about a quarter of the time.

He has huge raw power, but he has made a few modest tweaks to quiet his swing, like changing his back-elbow position and keeping his right knee in line so that he can get the barrel to the ball better, reducing his swing and miss. He could be a Mike Cameron power/speed center field type, or, if he really fills out, a right fielder with more power and less value on defense.

EDITOR'S PICKS • Law: Yusniel Diaz, Fernando Tatis star in homer-happy Futures Game Homers and fastballs were in big supply at Sunday's Futures Game. Keith Law breaks down the prospects that showed the most in this showcase.

11. , SS, Minnesota Twins

Last year's draft looks pretty good so far, with three players already in the top 15 with about a year of pro data under their belts. Lewis went first overall and, like Adell, performed so well in low-A that he earned a promotion to high-A, in Lewis' case just the other day.

He's already off to a hot start for Fort Myers, and the instincts he showed as a high school player, especially as a baserunner, have already made the same impression on pro scouts. The main question he'll have to answer is about his position. There's still doubt he's a shortstop in the long run, although with his speed he could play anywhere. If he hits this way, it might not matter.

12. Justus Sheffield, LHP,

Sheffield wasn't at his best at the Futures Game but still fired off a few plus sliders and touched 95, giving up a homer when he left a fastball up to a right-handed hitter. His changeup -- his best offspeed pitch in high school -- has become more of a third weapon, one he'll need to recover to keep right-handed hitters honest, and he can still show you 40 command even on days when he's throwing strikes. He's very close to major league-ready, however, and has all

32 the elements of a future No. 2 starter.

13. Hunter Greene, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

If you saw the Futures Game on Sunday, you saw what Greene can do -- he sat 100-103 mph -- and why he's still very much a work in progress -- he threw mostly fastballs and gave up some very hard contact on them.

Greene won't turn 19 until next month, so the fact that he's pitching so well in the Midwest League now is a positive, but his curveball is still a below-average pitch, which I think he should ditch in favor of a slider, and he barely uses a changeup at all.

He's a superb athlete who throws that crazy velocity without substantial effort, so there seems to be no limit to his upside, but he's not close to a finished product just yet.

14. , RHP, Tigers

The Tigers took Mize first overall in last month's Rule 4 draft, and the Auburn star has yet to make his pro debut, so this is entirely based on his profile coming out of the spring.

Mize would regularly pitch at 92-96 with a wipeout splitter and plus slider, and his command was excellent for a college junior. He has had minor arm issues in the past, but nothing serious since high school, and I don't think he carries any more risk than any other starter his age with a plus fastball.

He's a potential ace because of the combination of command/control and one or even two put- away pitches among his secondary offerings.

15. Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

If you think Bichette stays at shortstop, he's probably a tier low on this list, but I have seen him three times this year and still don't think he stays there. Instead, he's likely to slide over to second base, where he'll be no worse than average on defense while hitting for average with 15

33 or so homers, a zillion doubles and seeming to be in three places at once any time he's on the field. Also, he has plus hair.

16. Brendan McKay, LHP/1B,

McKay continues to play as both a pitcher and position player, but the fourth pick in last year's draft has been so dominant on the mound that his performance might obviate a decision on his ultimate role.

McKay, currently rehabbing in the Gulf Coast League from a minor injury, is rocking a 71-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 50 pro innings this year, and while he hasn't been awful at the plate, he's just further behind in that part of his game, and won't be able to close that gap when he's in the lineup only three times a week.

If they make such a decision on his future, the Rays could see him in their rotation next year, a three-pitch starter with nothing truly plus but such good command that he's a probably a mid- rotation candidate.

17. Wander Franco, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

Franco signed last July 2 for $3.85 million, and the early returns are rather promising: The 17- year-old is in the advanced-rookie Appalachian League and hitting .386/.426/.683, with only eight strikeouts in his first 108 pro plate appearances.

Franco has lightning-quick hands and a great left-handed swing for hard contact with loft for power. As of this writing, he's tied for second in the Appy League in triples, fourth in homers and is third in slugging percentage, fourth in average and ninth in on-base percentage, even though he's one of only two 17-year-olds in the entire league.

He's probably not a shortstop in the long run, but if that's the case he'll end up at second. If you're looking for the next Vlad Jr. who's going to be in the No. 1 overall discussion and might see the majors before he turns 20, this is your guy.

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18. , RHP,

Wright was the No. 5 overall pick in last year's draft -- which means the top five selections are all in my top 18 right now -- and went right to Double-A to start this year, an aggressive assignment but one merited by Wright's plus slider and track record in the SEC.

He still works in the low to mid 90s and the slider is still his out pitch, although he's been a little wild and might benefit from moving up to work with a different regular catcher. He has some No. 2 starter ceiling, depending on how his command and control come along and whether his changeup becomes more than just a fringy third pitch. He also has a very high starter probability and proximity to that majors that boost his value.

19. Brendan Rodgers, SS,

A scout at the Futures Game on Sunday described Rodgers as "quiet good": There's little flashy about his game, but he continues to produce, with a real breakout year in 2018 in his first season playing in a park that isn't extremely hitter friendly.

Rodgers has exploded with 17 homers already for Hartford, and ranks in the top 10 in the Eastern League in homers and doubles, while playing solid defense at shortstop, thanks primarily to a strong throwing arm and excellent hands. He's a 40 runner at best and I know multiple scouts who think his slowness and lack of agility will push him to second base, but he hasn't played himself off of shortstop yet.

20. , 2B,

Hiura can hit and has a little bit of pop, none of which was really ever in question, with a .307/.370/.499 line so far this year between high-A and about five weeks in Double-A.

He has played a little more than half of his games so far at second base, and the remainder at designated hitter, as he recovers from an elbow injury that, before the 2017 draft, was widely expected to require Tommy John surgery. There isn't much arm strength there now and he's only fair at second, but if he continues to hit as he has at every stop so far it won't be a concern.

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21. Sixto Sanchez, RHP,

Sanchez is Hunter Greene's doppelganger in many ways: He's very young, throws up to 100 mph as a starter with relative ease, and is in search of consistent, above-average secondary pitches. He has better present control than Greene does, and his fastball plays a little better in the zone. He's only a year older than Greene, which isn't really that important for pitchers like these two, but he is quite a bit smaller, just shy of 6 feet and easily under 200 pounds.

Even with those caveats, he's a high-ceiling prospect who could be a top-of-the-rotation type or a high-leverage reliever ... but he has been on the shelf since June 3 because of inflammation in his right elbow and has yet to make a rehab appearance. There's always the chance the injury is more serious, and even if it isn't, it probably will cost him 50 or so innings that he needed developmentally to work on his offspeed stuff.

22. Touki Toussaint, RHP, Atlanta Braves

Toussaint is up to 95-96 with a hammer curveball, power slider in the upper 80s, and still plenty of upside left because he's a tremendous athlete with room left to fill out. His command has come a long way since he first signed as a wild but loose-armed prep pitcher in 2014, and while it's not average right now, I feel like the odds of him getting there are pretty high, given his athleticism and how far he's already come. At worst he's a fourth/fifth starter, with No. 2 upside.

23. Adrian Morejon, LHP, San Diego Padres

Morejon looks like a high-probability mid-rotation starter, working up to 97 mph with a power curveball and above-average changeup, who really needs to stay healthy so he can race to the majors. He's on the DL right now because of a hip injury, throwing well before that despite making most of his starts this year in hitters' parks.

24. Mitch Keller, RHP,

Keller hasn't progressed as much as I'd like this year; he's a two-pitch starter, still, with a plus

36 fastball and plus (or maybe better) curveball, but no real changeup to speak of and increasing trouble with left-handed batters. If he finds that third pitch -- better feel for the changeup, maybe even a splitter -- he has No. 1 starter upside.

25. Taylor Trammell, OF, Cincinnati Reds

One of the stars of this year's Futures Game, Trammell has made some strong adjustments to his setup and swing, getting his hands to the zone more quickly and showing incredible hand- eye coordination.

His approach is already above-average, and he showed he has some power right now, with more likely to come as he fills out. He's probably going to end up in left field, which does somewhat cap his likely ceiling.

26. Luis Urias, 2B/SS, San Diego Padres

Urias has a tremendous approach, so while he might not ever see average power, he could end up with a 70 hit tool with high OBPs and plus defense at second base, along with the capability to fill in at shortstop as needed. He's one of the highest-floor players on the list.

27. Willy Adames, SS, Tampa Bay Rays

Adames barely qualifies for this list, as he didn't quite hit any of the rookie eligibility limits and was just optioned to the minors July 12 to make him eligible again. (Well, that's probably not why Tampa Bay optioned him ... I think.)

His time in the majors was disappointing but too small a sample about which to worry. He always has been a high-contact hitter with the promise of some future power, a potential star if he stays at shortstop, more likely an above-average regular somewhere else on the diamond, like third base.

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28. Triston McKenzie, RHP, Cleveland Indians

McKenzie missed the first two months of the season because of a forearm injury, then went to Double-A Akron, where he largely has picked up where he left off, working with average velocity, plus control and huge extension in his delivery that causes hitters to miss the fastball more than you'd expect. His stock is down a little right now given the time he missed and the fact that his physical projection still hasn't come to fruition yet.

29. Ian Anderson, RHP, Atlanta Braves

Anderson, the third overall pick in the 2016 draft, is just one inning shy of the career high he set last year as Atlanta continues to lengthen him out to be able to handle a full season's workload. He's been dominant of late, working from 88-95 with life up in the zone, showing two potentially plus secondary pitches in his breaking ball and changeup. Since May 1st, he's been rolling, with 84 strikeouts in 68 innings and a sub-2 ERA.

30. Leody Taveras, OF,

Taveras is still mostly just untapped potential at the plate, one of only two teenagers in the high-A Carolina League and hitting a mere .236/.309/.316 for the Down East Wood Ducks, albeit with a low strikeout rate for someone so young. He is tremendously tooled up, however, launching balls into the bleachers during batting practice before the Futures Game, and he's a plus defender in center already. He needs to show more of that power in games, and generally needs to show more production to maintain his value in the industry's eyes.

31. Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox

The second player going to the South Side in the Jose Quintana trade, along with Jimenez, Cease is throwing the ball as well now as he has at any point since his 2014 Tommy John surgery. His fastball is sitting in the mid 90s, up to 98, with a plus curveball in the mid 80s that has to be one of the hardest (by velocity) in the minors. He's also easily on track to crack 100 innings for the first time as a pro, something he needs to show he can do to remain a starter.

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32. Alex Verdugo, OF,

Verdugo is blocked in Los Angeles, which makes him seem like an ideal trade target for any club looking to strike a deal with the Dodgers, and he's at least holding up his end of the bargain with a .350/.394/.517 line in Triple-A. He's mostly playing center field for Oklahoma City but profiles as a right fielder between his size and his plus arm.

33. Cristian Pache, OF, Atlanta Braves

Pache came into 2018 with zero professional home runs, but I wrote in January that I thought he'd develop 20-homer power. He's on his way, with eight already in the generally pitcher- friendly , and he's still just 19 years old. He's also at least a 70 defender in center and I don't think the comparisons of his glove to that Andruw Jones are totally unfounded.

34. Jesus Luzardo, LHP,

Luzardo came to Oakland in the Ryan Madson-Sean Doolittle deal last July and has blown up, in a good way, since the trade, reaching Double-A at age 20 this season, just two years after he was drafted out of high school while he was already rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. (So, to recap: He hit Double-A two years after graduating high school, and two years and a few months after Tommy John. This is impressive and you should be impressed.)

He's up to 97, sitting low to mid 90s, and flashes a plus to double-plus changeup, with very good control for someone so young. He is still in search of an average breaking ball, and there's some little stuff in the delivery that makes me wonder if he'll ever get to more than average command.

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35. Keibert Ruiz, C, Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers are one of the only teams in baseball with a bona fide surfeit of catching prospects, as Will Smith looks like at least a big league backup, so they pushed Ruiz up to Double-A Tulsa as a 19-year-old (he turns 20 on Friday).

Ruiz is a switch-hitter with feel to hit and raw power from both sides already, while behind the plate he's a bit limited by an average arm and has a long way to go on the softer parts of the position. If he becomes a no-doubt catcher, he's a top-20 prospect, and if not, he'll still hit enough to be valuable somewhere else.

36. Luis Robert, OF, Chicago White Sox

Robert injured his wrist in spring training, came back for 87 plate appearances at two levels of A-ball, and re-aggravated the injury, effectively ending his season. He'll turn 21 next month, but we have very little data from him against real pitching, so he's ranked here largely on his tools and the fact that he did fairly well in the limited playing time we saw.

37. Carson Kelly, C, St. Louis Cardinals

I think Kelly could be without the steals. He's definitely a big league catcher, now, more than just a backup, and still could improve behind the plate since he has been playing there only since 2014. He's just blocked by not-future Hall of Famer Yadier Molina.

38. Chris Paddack, RHP, San Diego Padres

Paddack was the return for in 2016, blew out his elbow almost immediately, and has come back very strong, working up to 96 regularly with a grade-70 changeup and a 45- at-best curveball while making up for the lack of a great third pitch with plus control and an extremely competitive approach.

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39. Peter Lambert, RHP, Colorado Rockies

Lambert is a super competitor who fills the strike zone with four pitches, touching 4s and 5s but sitting in the low 90s, still showing some projection left to see his stuff improve but succeeding in double-A Hartford this year even with a lot of average offerings. He's in Triple-A Albuquerque, one of the worst pitcher's parks in organized baseball, right now, and has struggled with contact in his two outings there - but that park and division are unkind to nearly all pitchers. Since a three-walk outing on April 14th, he has walked eight batters in total in 94.1 innings

40. A.J. Puk, LHP, Oakland Athletics

Puk was a top-15 prospect coming into the year, and seemed he'd probably spend most of 2018 in Oakland's rotation after a tremendous showing in early March and a quantum leap in his command since he'd signed out of Florida ... and then his elbow cried uncle and his season was over. He should be back early to mid 2019, and the ranking here reflects what he should be, with the risk of all Tommy John guys that they don't come back or come back with reduced stuff.

41. Brent Honeywell, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Everything I just wrote on Puk applies here, although Honeywell's improvement in command was more of a gradual one. He should be back next spring as well.

42. Ke'Bryan Hayes, 3B, Pittsburgh Pirates

A 70 defender at third with excellent bat-to-ball skills and, for now, some sneaky 12-15 homer power, although I retain some belief that he'll grow into more and has the swing already to produce it.

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43. Carter Kieboom, SS, Washington Nationals

Kieboom has a great approach at the plate and excellent hand-eye coordination. He's very likely to hit for average and get on base, with fringy power as it stands now.

He's not a shortstop, and his arm probably will limit him to second base, but he should hit enough there to be a 55, which is an above-average regular.

44. Bryse Wilson, RHP, Atlanta Braves

Atlanta's fourth-round pick from 2016 continues to impress, moving up to Double-A early this year at age 20 and continuing to miss bats and throw strikes, working 91-97 with heavy life and an above-average slider. He's made 13 starts for double-A Mississippi, and while his ERA is high, it seems like it's just bad luck, as his peripherals are all strong.

45. , LHP, Tampa Bay Rays

Liberatore was No. 3 on my draft board -- No. 2, , didn't sign with Atlanta, and the rumor is that he's heading to junior college to enter next year's draft as its top pitching prospect -- but fell to the Rays at pick No. 16.

He's a projectable lefty with a good delivery, a fastball that has touched 97 but sits in the 90-94 range, and feel already for a curveball and changeup.

46. , OF,

Kelenic was sixth on my board for the draft last month and was the sixth overall pick, as well as the first high school player selected after a run of five college players to start the draft (one pitcher, four hitters). Kelenic has the kind of tools to go up top in any draft, but he was a little older than most high school seniors, turning 19 this past Monday, and came from Wisconsin, so he wasn't scouted against good pitching at all this spring.

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The very early returns are positive; he went 19-for-46 in the GCL and was bumped right up to the Appy League, where he's still making a ton of contact. The fact that he hasn't been overmatched against pro pitching while hitting with a wood bat is very promising.

47. , OF, Minnesota Twins

Kirilloff missed all of last year after Tommy John surgery, but he hasn't shown any rust this season, with a .607 slugging percentage that was second in the Midwest League behind a college product. Promoted to high-A a few weeks ago, he has continued to hit with a strong contact rate and above-average power.

He's playing mostly right field and that should be his long-term home, with the kind of big hit/power upside that could make him a No. 4 or No. 5 hitter in a good lineup.

48. JoJo Romero, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies

Romero has spent the year with Double-A Reading, an unusually homer-friendly park for the Eastern League, and has pitched and performed better as the season has gone along, hitting 97 in at least one recent start and mixing in two- and four-seamers as well as an above-average changeup and power curveball.

He's at least a fourth starter, probably a three, and I wonder if he needs the challenge of better competition to pitch more consistently with his best stuff.

49. Yusniel Diaz, OF,

Diaz hit two bombs in Sunday's Futures Game, a testament to the fact that he's healthy now and has really bulked up, adding what looks like at least 15 pounds of muscle. He walked more than he struck out as a 21-year-old in Double-A Tulsa before being sent to the the Orioles' system in Wednesday's Manny Machado trade.

He should never be allowed to steal another base (he's 8-for-16 this year ,which raised his career success rate to 44 percent), and is much more likely to end up in a corner than to remain

43 in center, so his ceiling is probably a good regular unless this power becomes a more permanent part of his game.

50. Dustin May, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

May was the Dodgers' third-round pick in 2016, an athletic right-hander from a Texas high school who showed arm strength and some feel to spin the ball but was generally raw and had some effort in the delivery.

He has come a long way since then; he's now regularly hitting 96-98 with sink and with a hard curveball that's already plus, and he's a strike-thrower who hasn't walked more than two batters in any start this season.

He's pitching half his games in a good hitter's park in Rancho Cucamonga, and he's still third in the league in ERA. He looks like an above-average starter, and at 20 he still has time to improve on that.

Honorable mentions -- players I considered and/or who were suggested to me by scouts and executives I consulted on this list: Michel Baez, RHP, San Diego (that's your No. 51, the rest are not in order); Brusdar Graterol, RHP, Minnesota; , 2B, Minnesota; , OF, Pittsburgh; , 3B, Philadelphia; Nolan Jones, 3B, Cleveland; Luiz Gohara, LHP, Atlanta; Justin Dunn, RHP, New York Mets; Anthony Alford, OF, Toronto; Beau Burrows, RHP, Detroit; Micker Adolfo, OF, Chicago White Sox; , RHP, Pittsburgh; D.L. Hall, lhp, Baltimore.

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