MLB Game Preview - NY Yankees at San Francisco

Sun Apr 28, 2019 4:05 PM EDT

When the New York Yankees go for the first sweep in their interleague rivalry with the San Francisco Giants on Sunday afternoon, they'll be doing so in an iconic Bay Area ballpark that might be reconfigured by the time they return.

The visitors have recorded 7-3 and 6-4 victories to open the third-game series, results that left the Giants a bit bruised physically.

With injuries impacting his starting lineup Saturday, conservative-thinking Giants manager Bruce Bochy declared he favors a proposed change to the configuration of Oracle Park that would move the bullpens off the field of play.

That concept wouldn't be radical in most ballparks, but the way it has been proposed at Oracle Park, the bullpens would be moved into what is now called "Triples Alley," a unique extension of the existing park that allows the outfield wall in right and right-center field to run adjacent to McCovey Cove.

Moving the bullpens, currently squeezed into very limited space in foul territory down the lines in left field and right field, into the vast open area in "Triples Alley" would cause the outfield fence to be moved in significantly, creating more home run opportunities at what today is known as a pitchers' park.

The change would mirror, in some ways, the recent move of the bullpen mounds off the playing field at Wrigley Field in Chicago. In that case, the bullpens were moved under the outfield bleachers.

That's not an option given the minimal footprint of Oracle Park alongside the San Francisco Bay. Thus drastic measures would have to be taken in order to prevent an injury such as the one that knocked Giants outfielder Steven Duggar out of action Saturday.

Duggar, normally a center fielder, tripped over the mound in the visitors' bullpen while chasing a foul fly ball down the right field line on Friday. He was expected to have an MRI to determine if a stint on the injured list is necessary.

The Giants experienced a more serious injury to left fielder Mac Williamson last season when he stumbled over the home bullpen mound down the left field line. He sustained a concussion in the fall.

"We saw what happened (Friday) night and we saw what happened with Williamson," Bochy told reporters before the Saturday game. "I think we need to stay open-minded about the possibility of moving (the bullpens). I know they've been there a long time; they were there a long time in Wrigley, too."

For now, they're staying put, and that's where the Sunday starters -- Yankees right-hander Domingo German (4-1, 1.75 ERA) and Giants righty Dereck Rodriguez (3-2, 3.54) -- will warm up for the series finale.

The clubs have met just four times previously in interleague play, with the home team winning two of three games in each previous serious. The Yankees hosted three of the first four series.

New York already has clinched the first series win by a road team, going up 2-0 when Gary Sanchez smacked a grand slam and J.A. Happ pitched seven shutout innings on Saturday in a 6-4 win.

Neither German nor Rodriguez has ever faced the Sunday opponent.

Luke Voit, Gio Urshela, Thairo Estrada and newly acquired Cameron Maybin have been among the offensive stars for two days in a Yankees lineup missing, among others, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Didi Gregorius. Maybin is 2-for-6 with two walks since the Yankees picked him up from the Cleveland Indians for cash on Thursday.

"It's fun, man," Voit gushed to reporters in the wake of the Friday win. "No one thinks we should be winning these games. But everyone in the clubhouse, before the game, after the game, it's just like everyone's cheering for each other. All these guys are coming in and doing their job."

--Field Level Media