Giants-Phillies preview
PHILADELPHIA -- Left-hander Matt Moore, one of the more noteworthy acquisitions at Monday's non-waiver trade deadline, makes his first start for the San Francisco Giants when they attempt to salvage the finale of a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday afternoon.
The 27-year-old Moore, who will be opposed by Vince Velasquez (8-3, 3.32 ERA), was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for third baseman Matt Duffy and two minor leaguers, shortstop Lucius Fox and right-handed pitcher Michael Santos.
"It's hard to keep a smile off my face when I think about the things to come and being part of this group," Moore told reporters Tuesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Moore, 7-7 with a 4.08 ERA in 21 starts for the Rays this season, was an All-Star in 2013, when he went 17-4 with a 3.29 ERA. He underwent Tommy John surgery the following season, and in 2015 compiled a 3-4 record, with a 5.43 ERA.
He has begun to regain his form of late, going 4-2 with a 1.99 ERA in his last six outings with Tampa Bay.
"(Tampa Bay) is where I was raised but I've been watching what's been going on here for a while and I'm very grateful to be a part of it," Moore said, according to CSNBayArea.com. "It's quite a turnaround from where we were in Tampa, in bad shape. To be here in first place is a pretty cool feeling."
The Phillies reportedly discussed trading Velasquez to the Texas Rangers before Monday's deadline, but ultimately held on to the 24-year-old right-hander, who was acquired from the Astros in December in the deal that sent reliever Ken Giles to Houston.
Velasquez was charged with a 2-1 loss to Atlanta his last time out after allowing two runs in six innings. He is 3-1 with a 2.75 ERA in six starts since a stint on the disabled list in June with a right biceps strain, and has never faced the Giants.
The Phillies used a five-run eighth inning to beat San Francisco 13-8 in the series opener and erased a 4-0 deficit to win 5-4 in 12 innings Wednesday.
San Francisco had six hits and scored all their runs in the first three innings against emergency starter Phil Klein, then added two more hits in the fourth. They managed only two hits in nine scoreless innings against Klein and six relievers thereafter.
Klein, recalled from Triple-A Lehigh Valley when Wednesday's announced starter, Aaron Nola, went on the disabled list with a strained right elbow, began a stretch that saw Phillies pitchers retire 19 straight hitters between the fourth and 10th.
"That's the difference in the game -- we couldn't tack on," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We couldn't do anything with their bullpen. We couldn't get anybody on. Four runs in this ballpark, anything can happen. ... Their pen shut us down completely."
San Francisco is a major league-worst 4-13 since the All-Star break.
"It's hard to believe," starting pitcher Johnny Cueto said through an interpreter. "We're a good team. The only thing we can do is keep grinding and keep putting our best effort out there, every time we go out."
