Giants' Trevor McDonald experiences night to forget in loss to Blue Jays

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Toronto's Jonatan Clase watches his three-run home run off Giants starter Trevor McDonald during the second inning of Tuesday's game at Oracle Park. (Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)


Last week, Trevor McDonald helped accomplish what appeared to be the impossible: Behind his six innings, the San Francisco Giants beat the Arizona Diamondbacks for the first time in nine tries.

Back home, McDonald achieved something even more remarkable - but not in a good way. The rookie pitcher allowed 11 hits in a matter of 2⅓ innings against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Giants' 9-3 loss on Tuesday night at Oracle Park.

No Giants pitcher had allowed 11 or more hits in 2⅓ innings or less since Mark Gardner in 1998 against another Canadian team, the then-Montreal Expos.

The only other Giant to do this was Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry against the Chicago Cubs - also 11 hits in 2⅓ innings - in 1966. So, at least McDonald is in good company.

The Blue Jays' offense doesn't grind out at-bats and put the ball in play as frequently as it did last year, a season in which Toronto came within two outs of beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series. But the Blue Jays looked much like their old selves against McDonald, generating offense by putting the ball in play. Hard contact, or not.

McDonald went to his sinker readily - throwing it 37 times out of his 58 pitches - but he was leaving that pitch and his offspeed offerings up most of the time, and Toronto didn't miss.

Of the 11 hits, only two registered as hard contact (95 mph exit velocity or higher). Jonatan Clase had one of them when he hit a hanging slider to the right field seats for a three-run home run to kick off the scoring, his first hit of the year, in the second inning.

Blue Jays 9, Giants 3

Toronto	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Totals	37	9	13	8	2	5
Clement 2b	4	1	3	1	0	0	.298
Lukes rf	3	0	1	0	2	0	.285
Guerrero 1b	5	1	1	0	0	1	.263
Okamoto 3b	5	1	1	0	0	0	.235
Valenzuela c	4	2	2	1	0	1	.241
Varsho cf	4	0	0	0	0	0	.242
Keys dh	4	2	2	2	0	1	.207
Clase lf	4	2	2	3	0	1	.400
Straw lf	0	0	0	0	0	0	.232
Giménez ss	4	0	1	1	0	1	.234

San Francisco	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Totals	35	3	9	2	0	6
Ramos rf	4	2	2	0	0	1	.279
Arraez 2b	4	0	2	1	0	0	.327
Schmitt 3b	4	0	1	0	0	0	.279
Devers dh	4	1	1	0	0	0	.246
Lee cf	4	0	0	0	0	2	.311
Adames ss	4	0	1	0	0	2	.231
Eldridge 1b	4	0	1	0	0	0	.273
Bericoto lf	4	0	1	1	0	0	.309
Cavanaugh c	3	0	0	0	0	1	.174

Toronto	035	000	001_9	13	0
San Francisco	011	010	000_3	9	0

LOB: Toronto 4, San Francisco 5. 2B: Clement (23), Arraez (20). HR: Clase (1), off McDonald. RBIs: Clase 3 (3), Valenzuela (20), Keys 2 (5), Giménez (36), Clement (30), Bericoto (9), Arraez (34). SF: Clement.

Runners left in scoring position: Toronto 3 (Lukes, Okamoto, Guerrero); San Francisco 3 (Cavanaugh, Lee 2). RISP: Toronto 4 for 10; San Francisco 2 for 8.

Runners moved up: Guerrero 2, Varsho, Devers. GIDP: Guerrero, Devers.

DP: Toronto 1 (Giménez, Guerrero); San Francisco 2 (Adames, Arraez, Eldridge; Adames, Arraez, Eldridge).

Toronto	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Miles	4	7	2	2	0	1	55	2.95
Corbin, W, 3-4	2	1-3	2	1	1	0	2	41	5.07
Hoffman	2-3	0	0	0	0	1	8	4.35
Fluharty	1	0	0	0	0	1	12	4.58
Varland	1	0	0	0	0	1	19	0.94

San Francisco	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
McDonald, L, 3-7	2	1-3	11	8	8	1	0	58	5.46
Houser	5	2-3	0	0	0	1	5	67	4.95
Walker	1	2	1	1	0	0	18	6.75

Inherited runners-scored: Houser 2-1.

ABS Challenge: Eldridge (Strike-Confirmed); Lee (Strike-Confirmed).

Umpires: Home, Rob Drake; First, Stu Scheuwater; Second, Junior Valentine; Third, Austin Jones.

T: 2:26. A: 32,140 (41,915).

"I was taking a peek up at the scoreboard on some of the exit velos," McDonald said. "And I felt like I was getting the soft contact, trying to force the early outs for the other team that likes to swing and be on the attack. They found holes and it spiraled into them gaining momentum and stringing some together. Unfortunate, but on to the next."

It got ugly in the third inning when the Blue Jays tagged McDonald for six singles and four runs, bringing out Adrian Houser for long relief duties with a two men on (one would score on a sacrifice fly).

McDonald ended up allowing eight earned runs and one walk with no strikeouts and the career-high 11 hits allowed. He's the first Giants starter to allow at least eight runs in so few innings since Drew Pomeranz allowed eight over 1⅓ innings in 2019 against the Baltimore Orioles.

McDonald's night to forget brought about a pivotal night for Houser, who didn't allow a hit over 5⅔ innings. He's the first Giants reliever to do this out of the bullpen since Jim Barr on Sept. 11, 1971.

More than for its bit of history, Houser may have earned his spot back in the rotation if the Giants decide to switch him in for McDonald, who has a 5.46 ERA and recently more inconsistent outings than encouraging ones. Houser's 5.73 ERA as a starter bumped him to the bullpen during the Giants' road trip through Atlanta and Miami, but he has bounced back nicely in a relief role. In four appearances (14 innings), Houser has recorded a 1.29 ERA with seven strikeouts and two walks.

The loss puts the Giants 15 games back of .500, a season-low they've hit a handful times this year. The way they're trending and with the Aug. 3 trade deadline looming - perhaps showing Houser back in a starter role can open up more conversations for the front office - talks about another rotation shift are on the table, manager Tony Vitello said.

"Yeah, I think so. Any conversation is open right now to figure out whatever we have to do to string together more wins," Vitello said when asked if they'd discuss moving Houser back to the rotation as a staff. "He's put together some starter outings, even though it's been out of the bullpen."

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This article originally published at Giants' Trevor McDonald experiences night to forget in loss to Blue Jays.

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