September 23, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong (60) throws in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartoziyan-Imagen Images The San Francisco Giants hope to break even when they face the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in the regular season finale on Sunday afternoon.
The two teams, which have been around .500 throughout the season, have split the first two games of the series. The Cardinals won 6–3 on Friday, before falling to the Giants 6–5 on Saturday.
The win moved San Francisco (80–81) to within one win of a .500 season. The club finished 81–81 in 2022 and dropped to 79–83 last season, losing four of its final five games.
Cardinals designated starter Michael McGreevy (2-0, 2.40 ERA) has pitched well in his three career starts. St. Louis (82-79) has won all three games, two of which were started by the right-hander.
McGreevy, who has never faced the Giants, is expected to compete with fellow rookie Hayden Birdsong (5-5, 4.66). He has gone 2-0 in his last three starts while giving up just five runs in 15 2/3 innings.
Birdsong, who grew up about 125 miles northeast of St. Louis, will pitch against the Cardinals for the first time.
Many individual highlights and team honors will be at stake on the final day of the season.
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who broke the club’s single-season save record with his 49th during Friday’s win, will try to become just the 18th in major league history to reach 50 on Sunday. He did not pitch on Saturday.
“When I came back in September (recovering from the arm injury) and I was the closest and I got seven saves,” he said, “I was like, ‘If I get six seven times a month, that’s 42,'” he said. And it’s a very good year.’ Obviously, I’ve embraced it and it’s been fun.”
Brandon Donovan took advantage of Nolan Arenado’s layoff on Saturday and moved four points ahead for the Cardinals’ batting average crown. Donovan went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles, raising his average to .276. Arenado is batting .272.
The Cardinals’ home run title is also up for grabs. Paul Goldschmidt has hit 22 homers this season while Alec Burleson is right behind him with 21.
Matt Chapman nearly leads the Giants in home runs and RBI this season. He has 27 homers and drove in 78 runs, leading Heliot Ramos, who has 22 homers and 72 RBI in both categories. Chapman needs two runs to reach 100 for the third time in his career.
The veteran is enjoying the end of his first season with the Giants. He learned Friday that he won the team’s Willie Mack Award for Most Inspirational Player.
“It’s been a cherry on top of a wonderful month,” he said. “Obviously, it would be better if we went to the playoffs. That’s my goal. I’m going to work this offseason to make it possible next year.”
In his first full season in the major leagues, Ramos nearly captured the batting title for San Francisco. The 25-year-old is hitting .269 in 475 at-bats.
–Field Level Media