MLB Game Preview - NY Yankees at San Francisco
Sat Apr 27, 2019 4:05 PM EDT

BAL
2
MIN
9
F
CIN
3
STL
6
F
OAK
1
TOR
7
F
SD
8
WSH
3
F(10)
TB
2
BOS
1
F
NYY
6
SF
4
F
CLE
3
HOU
4
F(10)
MIA
9
PHI
12
F
MIL
8
NYM
6
F
LAA
4
KC
9
F
COL
9
ATL
5
F
CHC
9
ARI
1
F
TEX
15
SEA
1
F
PIT
1
LAD
3
F
DET
CHW
PPD
Giants look to bounce back against Yankees
Sat Apr 27, 2019 2:41 AM

The New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants continue a three-game series Saturday afternoon in San Francisco in an interleague matchup that already has taken several unusual twists.

Left-handers J.A. Happ of the Yankees, a former National Leaguer, and Derek Holland of the Giants, who played his first nine seasons in the American League, both will pack plenty of history against the opponent when they hook up.

The Yankees took the first game of the series 7-3 on Friday night, with James Paxton winning his career debut against the Giants over Madison Bumgarner, who was facing the Yankees for just the second time.

That lack of familiarity with the opponent is not uncommon in interleague play, when opponents like the Yankees and Giants often go multiple seasons without squaring off.

The Yankees hadn't visited San Francisco since 2007 before Friday's series opener.

Happ (0-2, 5.96) and Holland (1-3, 4.33), however, are exceptions to the interleague rule.

Happ, who has pitched for Philadelphia, Houston (while it was a National League team) and Pittsburgh in his career, will be making his sixth start against the Giants, his fifth in San Francisco.

He's gone 1-4 with a 4.80 ERA against the N.L. West club, including 1-3 with a 4.50 ERA in San Francisco.

Several Giants also are quite familiar with Happ, including third baseman Evan Longoria, who has gone 11-for-31 (.355) against the lefty with three doubles and a home run.

Conservative-thinking Bruce Bochy tried an American League-style tactic in his batting order in the series opener, slotting center fielder Steven Duggar in the ninth spot behind Bumgarner.

It didn't work. Duggar hit like a pitcher, going 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts.

The Giants also gave Brandon Belt a rare start in the outfield, and that didn't go so well, either. He misplayed one line drive into an error.

Belt wasn't the only outfielder who found himself in unfamiliar territory in the game. With Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, among others, injured and out of action for the visitors, Yankees manager Aaron Boone gave Thairo Estrada his first major league start in left field.

Usually a middle infielder, Estrada contributed an RBI single to the 11 hits the Yankees amassed against Bumgarner in the win.

"It's a big vote of trust, allowing me to play there," Estrada told reporters before the game. "I believe in the work that I've done there the last couple days. I'll go out there and enjoy it and give it the best I have."

Acquired Thursday in a trade with Cleveland, Cameron Maybin made his Yankees debut on Friday and, like Estrada, did some damage against Bumgarner with an RBI single.

Cut by the Giants in spring training, Maybin is no stranger to success against Holland, with a lifetime 5-for-5 batting run that includes two doubles.

Holland will be making his 11th career start against the Yankees. He's gone 1-7 with a 6.38 ERA against them in 11 previous head-to-heads, which includes one relief appearance.

Even with the likes of Estrada and Maybin standing in for Judge and Stanton, Bochy admitted in the lead-up to Friday's game that the matchup with the Yankees was special.

"They're the Yankees," he gushed to reporters. "I'm sure for the players and fans, there's so much history with the Yankees and with us. It's always an exciting time."

--Field Level Media

Team Record Comparison

Team Standings GB W-L Aw/Hm Stk L10
NY Yankees            
San Francisco            

Scheduled Starting Pitchers

J.A. Happ - (N/A)
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. San Francisco
Derek Holland - (N/A)
Matchup
Season
vs. Opp Has not pitched vs. NY Yankees

Hot Batters (Last 10 team games)

Injury Report

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