Trevor McDonald has had a rough rookie season with the San Francisco Giants, and the summer has been especially cruel.
McDonald, who had four career appearances entering the 2026 season, will try to bounce back from a disastrous start in his most recent outing when the Giants host the Colorado Rockies on Sunday afternoon in the final game before the All-Star break.
The month started with promise for McDonald (3-7, 5.46 ERA). The right-hander had lost six of seven starts — including four of five in June — but got the win on July 1 when he allowed one hit and no walks over scoreless six innings of a 6-4 defeat of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
But just six days later, it all fell apart for McDonald. In a home game Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays, he surrendered eight runs and 11 hits in only 2 1/3 innings, taking the loss in the 9-3 game.
It was the first time since 1998 that a Giants pitcher had given up at least 11 hits in 2 1/3 since Mark Gardner against the Montreal Expos in 1998.
“I felt I was getting some soft contact and some early contact and them being a team that likes to swing and be on the attack, they found the holes,” McDonald said.
Giants manager Tony Vitello did not fully agree.
“There wasn’t a lot of hard contact, but there also was really comfortable swings,” Vitello said postgame. “They were kind of sitting on that deal there. Sinker was middle a lot, if you were going to criticize anything there. Kind of piled up on him a little too quick.”
McDonald has faced the Rockies just once, and it invokes a good memory. It was Sept. 26, 2025, when he struck out 10 and allowed three unearned runs on four hits in seven innings against visiting Colorado. He did not walk a batter in a 6-3 win.
McDonald will try to follow an outstanding effort by Tyler Mahle on Saturday in the Giants’ 4-2 victory. Mahle gave up a run on five hits in seven innings with three walks and four strikeouts.
Despite the win, Vitello was ejected by plate umpire Lance Barksdale in the third inning after the Rockies’ Mickey Moniak was placed back at the plate after it appeared he had struck out.
Colorado has lost three of its past four games and enters Sunday with a struggling pitcher of its own, but he is showing small signs of improvement.
That’s veteran Michael Lorenzen (3-9, 6.46 ERA), who got his first win in eight decisions in an 8-5 triumph against the Minnesota Twins on June 27. Since then, he hasn’t gotten a decision in two starts, both of which the Rockies won.
In two July games, Lorenzen has given up four earned runs on nine hits in 10 2/3 innings. He has struck out six and walked nine, and his season strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2.06.
Lorenzen has plenty of experience against the Giants, facing them 12 times (six starts) in 12 seasons. He is 0-2 with a 6.68 ERA in those games.
His most recent start against San Francisco came May 29, and he took a no-decision in a 8-6 win. He gave up three runs on five hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
The Rockies lost the series opener 8-2 on Thursday, then won on Friday, coming from behind for a 4-3 victory thanks to a ninth-inning rally.
“That’s just how we play. We stay in ballgames,” rookie infielder Kyle Karros said. “We try to pick each other up.”
–Field Level Media
