So what was less likely on Sunday? That Darin Ruf, a big man with a stolen base in his career, would go second to establish a crucial insurance career? Or that Darin Ruf, a man signed to be a bench hitter and platoon first baseman, would crash through an open bullpen gate by catching in left field?
“It would give, going into that game, a pretty low probability,” Ruf said Sunday night, smiling.
Both were key moments in another good night for Ruf, who closed the KBO session during the offseason. He started both games against lefties this weekend and was having such good at-bats that Gabe Kapler didn’t even go to his trusted platoons. Kapler said he even hopes Ruf will become more than just a showdown game.
“We see it as an asset against left-handed pitching, but it’s also a super tough at-bat against right-handers,” said Kapler.
Ruf has three hits, one walk, two RBIs, one run, and that stolen base in two starts, which is one of the first positives for the Giants.
Here are some highs and lows from a series that ended up being a pretty solid division:
— Kapler named Johnny Cueto as its opening headline a couple of weeks ago, but the other three headlines in this series were announced on game day. So it stood out when Kapler opened his Zoom call after Sunday’s victory by announcing that Jeff Samardzija will start on Tuesday and Cueto will start on Wednesday. Thursday remains to be determined.
“I think in this particular case it’s pretty simple,” he said when asked about the Padres series’ different approach. “We know we are going to have two traditional starts at the top of the series. We knew we had a traditional start at the top of the Dodgers series, so we announced Cueto, and now we know we have two traditional starts. At the beginning of the San Diego series, that’s why we’re announcing Samardzija and Cueto. “
The staff clearly did not feel well with Samardzija against the Dodgers, but the Padres are considerably more skillful and therefore a better matchup.
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— Hunter Pence is unsuccessful on the season and the at-bats have not been promising, but both Ruf and Mauricio Dubon did their best to credit Pence for how positive he kept him after those first two games.
“Thanks to Hunter, thanks to the veteran boys, we kept our heads level after Friday’s game,” Dubon said.
— Dubon started 0-for-10 but got on the board with a single in the box. His next hit, a clean shot to the left, scored a run. Dubon said he was not concerned about the slow start.
“I was excited when I heard the reaction at the shelter,” he said. “It’s a huge relief. I’m a good hitter. It was going to happen, things like that are going to happen, 0 to 10 is going to happen.”
— If you’re in a fantasy league, Trevor Gott could be an easy way to do some saves in the next 58 games. Tyler Rogers is the versatile weapon in the bullpen and Kapler will use it as often as he can, but that could be on the sixth or seventh most nights when the heart of the order might be springing up.
Gott is your most traditional one-inning boy, and Kapler said he’s open for a player to take the closest role. It was telling that Tony Watson was not left-handed Max Muncy with one running back and two outs in the ninth. Gott hit Muncy.
— The defense was much better on Sunday night, but over the course of the series, it was pretty brutal. That is definitely not what Kapler and Kai Correa expected. One early thing to archive and watch: Wilmer Flores’ releases have been a problem. Kapler said it was like a hitter trying to do too much at home.
“I think it will be fine,” said Kapler. “He is a veteran player with a record of success. His shooting will improve.”
— Jaylin Davis avoided a double play in the fourth inning on Sunday by lowering the line to 29.6 feet per second. Anything 30 or more is elite. As Kapler says all the time, he really does have all the tools.
— Dany Jiménez made his major league debut on Thursday, arriving when the first game of the season exploded at Rogers. He walked with Joc Pederson and AJ Pollock, gave a run by picking a fielder, and then walked with Muncy to bring another run home. Jiménez at least ended his outing on a high note, striking out Mookie Betts on a curved ball.
The Rule 5 pick is a two-pitch type and the Dodgers seemed to have no problem picking it up. Jiménez hit 95 mph with his fastball but averaged 93. He threw a dozen curved balls, most of which left the area.
[[[[RELATED: Using Kapler’s Bullpen Helps Giants Win Division]Jiménez didn’t pitch again in the series, but it’s worth a look this week. The Giants have to cut from 30 to 28 players two weeks after the season, and they need to know more about the young right-hander.
— Finally, a reminder of how rare this season is. With the playoffs expanded, if the season ended today, the Giants and Dodger would take the bottom two spots in the National League. At 2-2, they are tied for seventh and eighth in the league. That’s all it takes in 2020!
