Phillies-Giants Preview

Left-hander Drew Smyly and righty Tyler Beede duel for the second time in 11 days when the visiting Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco continue their four-game series on Friday night.

After losing two of three in Philadelphia last week, the Giants got the jump on their home set with a 5-0 victory over the Phillies on Thursday night.

Madison Bumgarner was the difference-maker in the series opener, blanking Philadelphia on one hit over seven innings to allow the Giants to snap a four-game losing streak.

Smyly (2-6, 7.01 ERA) and Beede (3-6, 5.38) went head-to-head June 30 in the series opener in Philadelphia, with Smyly delivering the Bumgarner-like performance in a 4-2 win.

Making just his second start since being acquired from Texas, Smyly shut out the Giants for seven innings, allowing just four hits. It was his first career outing against San Francisco.

He'll hope to get more support than the Phillies provided staff ace Aaron Nola on Thursday, and should benefit from the return of catcher J.T. Realmuto, who was given the series opener off after having caught four straight games.

"We're traveling from Phoenix, where it's pretty easy to get dehydrated, and we got in late (Wednesday) night," Phillies manager Gabe Kapler explained of sitting Realmuto. "Any time you have that kind of travel, it's always valuable to respect your starting catcher, a guy who you really lean on. J.T.'s caught a lot of games for us. It's important to get him off his feet once in a while."

The Phillies got Jay Bruce back in the lineup Thursday after he'd been on the injured list with a strained right oblique. The lefty hitter went 0-for-3 with a strikeout against Bumgarner.

Bruce and his mates will take their shots at a right-hander on Friday, one against whom the Phillies put up 10 hits and four runs in five innings on July 30 in their first-ever look at the second-year Giant.

The effort was one of three straight subpar efforts for Beede, who has compiled an 0-3 record and 8.16 ERA over that span.

Rhys Hoskins contributed a two-run homer to Beede's downfall in Philadelphia.

The Giants figure to give Smyly a different look the second time around following the promotion of outfielder Joey Rickard from Triple-A on Thursday.

A fourth-year veteran, Rickard made his Giants debut in the win, taking over for Stephen Vogt for defensive purposes in left field and later drawing a walk.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy noted Thursday that Rickard will be counted upon to aid in his team's attack against lefty pitchers like Smyly.

"He's earned it," Bochy assured reporters of the promotion, which was the product of a .358 batting average in the minors since being acquired off waivers from Baltimore in June. "With Vogt getting some action out in left field and being a left-handed bat, we just thought we'd be a little better off with a right-handed bat."

Rickard took the roster spot of Steven Duggar, who sprained his left shoulder making a diving catch on Wednesday. He's been placed on the injured list.

--Field Level Media