James Paxton, New York Open Series In San Francisco

On Friday night New York will continue their trip out west when they visit San Francisco for a three game series where James Paxton will look to continue his dominance while New York will look to bounce back from their series finale loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Meanwhile San Francisco will look to win the opener after winning their previous game as well.

New York who is a member of the American League East comes into the opener of their three game series with a record of 14-11 while San Francisco who is a member of the National League West comes into the game with a record of 11-14. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/standings

As stated above, James Paxton will start for New York. The left-hander comes into the game with a record of 2-2 with a 3.10 earn run average Paxton has been magnificent in successive starts, recording 12 strikeouts without allowing a run against both the Red Sox and Royals. David Cone (1998) is the only other Yankee to have back-to-back games of 12 or more strikeouts. He will oppose San Francisco left-hander Madison Bumgarner who comes into the opener of the three game series with a record of 1-3 with a 3.66 earn run average. Bumgarner will make his sixth start of the season to open the three-game series against the Yankees, marking only his second career appearance against the AL East squad. The 29-year-old southpaw has gone at least six innings in every start this year but has received just 10 total runs of support. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/roster/probable-pitchers

As for New York’s previous game,

They lost the finale in Anaheim to Los Angeles.

The Yankees have not enjoyed a four-game sweep at Angel Stadium since July 1994, when the home team still referred to itself as the California Angels. Through four innings, they appeared primed to celebrate a very happy excursion into Mickey Mouse's backyard.

Then Masahiro Tanaka surrendered a couple of two-run homers, and the rest of the evening devolved into a blur of walks and errors. Tommy La Stella and Kole Calhoun went deep off Tanaka and David Fletcher collected two of his career-high five RBIs with a tiebreaking sixth-inning single off Jonathan Holder, carrying the Angels to an 11-5 victory. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

“It's just basically bad execution,” Tanaka said through an interpreter. “I just couldn't hit my spots, and they didn't miss it. I got hurt.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

Their six-game winning streak snapped, the Bombers settled for three wins to show for their Southern California experience. That still represents an encouraging opening act to a nine-game trip that now will send them into Interleague matchups at the Giants and D-backs. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

“It’s always frustrating when we don’t put our best foot forward,” manager Aaron Boone said. “You have a chance to almost put that game away, but we just didn’t get it done. So you learn from it, grow from it, get on the plane and try to get after it tomorrow. Hopefully we'll get off to a good start against the National League.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

Tanaka had permitted one run or fewer in four of his first five starts, and the right-hander seemed to be on that track again, holding the Angels hitless into the fourth inning. Boone even thought that Tanaka’s splitter -- largely absent in his previous outing -- appeared to be sharper. Instead, Tanaka trudged to the clubhouse having been charged with six runs (five earned) over 5 2/3 innings.

"The split looks good to me," catcher Gary Sanchez said through an interpreter. "The thing is, at this level, sometimes when you miss location, hitters up here are really good and they're going to make contact." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

The unearned run came as a result of the first of Sanchez’s two passed balls, prior to La Stella’s go-ahead hit. Sanchez is 0-for-7 with two walks since being activated from the injured list on Wednesday, and the catcher acknowledged that there is rust to work off at the plate. As for the costly passed ball, he said that came as the result of a cross-up with Holder. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

“I was expecting a slider, and he threw a fastball there,” Sanchez said. “That happens from time to time. It’s going to happen.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

The Angels made consistent contact against Tanaka, who generated just one swinging strike, his lowest total in 143 Yankees starts (including postseason). Tanaka’s previous low was three, which he did on Sept. 30, 2015, and June 6, 2017. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

"I'm not really sure about that," Tanaka said. "The only thing I can think of is they got to the ball pretty well. The bottom line for me is just to make adjustments and try to go out there and be more effective." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

The season has been a grind thus far for Holder, who owns a 5.40 ERA despite picking up a victory in Monday's 4-3, 14-inning contest. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

"Overall, I do feel like he’s throwing the ball well," Boone said. "He was great in his last outing. I do feel like he’s close." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

Facing Stephen Tarpley and Joseph Harvey, the Angels batted around for five runs in the seventh inning, a frame highlighted when Fletcher’s three-run triple skipped past Mike Tauchman toward the right-field corner. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/masahiro-tanaka-struggles-as-yankees-streak-ends

As for San Francisco, Unlike New York, San Francisco won their previous game as they not only shutout Toronto but earned the sweep in the two game set.

San Francisco's arms have kept the Giants in games thus far this season, and Wednesday’s 4-0 shutout win over the Blue Jays was hardly any different. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

The one noticeable change in the theme of the season so far, however, was that Drew Pomeranz received some support from his offense, and enough to earn his first win with the Giants. Before his outing in Toronto, the southpaw had received a total of just two runs of support in his four starts. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

“It’s nice to get that one out of the way,” Pomeranz said. “I’m more excited about pitching in the sixth inning today and just being more efficient, and I felt like I was making pitches the whole time.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

On Wednesday, the squad backed his six scoreless innings of two-hit ball by opening the scoring in the fourth with Brandon Belt’s RBI double. The Giants added on in the fifth with Pablo Sandoval’s second homer in as many days, and doubled the score in the sixth, when Buster Posey and Evan Longoria each drove in a run with a double. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

Wednesday’s outing for Pomeranz was his ninth career start against the Blue Jays. Entering the finale of the two-game Interleague set between the two teams, Pomeranz was 3-2 with a 4.26 mark against Toronto in 10 career appearances and eight starts. The 30-year-old left-hander was also 2-1 with a 3.76 ERA in six career outings at Rogers Centre, and he bettered all those numbers. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

What a great job, pitching so efficiently,” Bochy said. “He pounded the strike zone so well, had good command of the fastball, a good breaking ball, he used his change occasionally and really just a real nice job. And he got us far enough. Six innings there of just real nice work.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

Sandoval’s homer continued his impressive start to the season. Before the finale of the Giants’ eight-game, three-city road trip, the 32-year-old Venezuela native was hitting. 344/.344/.656 in 21 games. On Tuesday against the Blue Jays, he became San Francisco’s first player this season with a three-hit game, and notched his first home run of the year. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

We hit really well these two games here,” Pomeranz said. “Pablo had a really good day today, and he’s been hitting really well these last couple days, and that’s obviously nice. My goal is to go out there and just not give up any runs or give up anything anyway, just so it makes it a little easier on them, so I definitely enjoyed that.”

Sandoval led off the fifth inning of Wednesday’s matchup with his second homer of the season. It had a 112.4-mph exit velocity, good for the fourth highest among Giants hitters since Statcast began tracking in 2015. His hardest-hit homer -- and only other at more than 110 mph -- was 114.0 mph on April 27, 2015, also against the Blue Jays, off Aaron Sanchez.

“He’s a good hitter, I’ll start with that,” Bochy said. “And I’ve talked about how he can sit and watch some games and get up there and give you a good at-bat, but the ball jumps off his bat. I think he’s got the highest velocity off the bat this year for us. … He’s the one guy who’s finding the barrel consistently.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

Added Sandoval: “I’m healthy, that’s one of the things. When you’re healthy, you can do everything out there. So I’m healthy, I don’t have a problem with my leg now, my shoulder’s free, so I just felt good. So I’m doing everything I can. I come here every day and [go through] my routine to maintain that swing.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

The two-game sweep of the Blue Jays also marked the end of the reunion between Kevin Pillar -- who went 1-for-3 with a double and an intentional walk on Wednesday -- and the Blue Jays, the team with which he spent his entire career before being traded to San Francisco. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

“It’s time, I guess, to officially turn the page, not to say that I hadn’t,” Pillar said. “But there was part of me, obviously getting traded, I knew we were coming here shortly after. I got to say bye to a lot of people that I didn’t get an opportunity to say bye to. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

“On a personal note, it was a nice way to close that chapter because I felt like leaving here so quickly I didn’t get the opportunity to see a lot of people that meant a lot to me, that maybe I didn’t get a chance to let them know.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

Amid his emotional return, Pillar was excited to see his own team’s offense get a jump start, and match a season high with its third-straight win. “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

“I’d like to say I had something to do with it, and gave them good scouting reports,” Pillar said. “But you look at this room; there are a lot of talented guys. There are All-Stars in here, guys who have won World Series, it’s only a matter of time.” “according to https://www.mlb.com/giants/news/drew-pomeranz-throws-gem-giants-shut-out-blue-jays

First pitch is set for 10:15pm from Oracle Park. The game will be televised on Yes and NBC Bay Area.