Buster Posey gets a full day of rest Monday after playing in all nine games of the Giants’ recent road trip. The reigning MVP caught eight of those games, spending Saturday’s game at first base. Posey collected 15 hits on the trip, raising his 2013 batting line to .316/.390/.515. His .905 OPS is tops among MLB catchers and seventh among all position players in the National League. Hector Sanchez gets his fifth start of the season behind the dish and his first since April 18th.
Sanchez caught Zito in 24 of his 32 starts last year, becoming somewhat of a personal catcher for the lefty. Bochy looks to exploit this comfort tonight at AT&T, where Zito has a 1.94 ERA on the season. He is 4-1 in home starts, to go along with an 0-4 road record and 11.28 ERA away from San Francisco.
Shortstop Brandon Crawford will start the game at the No. 3 spot in the order, the first time the renowned glovesman has done so in his career. Much like Posey, Crawford is coming off a road trip to remember; he reached base 15 times in just 37 plate appearances in the nine games. The UCLA product has a season line of .288/.352/.428, all of which would greatly surpass his previous career highs. All-Star votes, please and thank you.
Tony Abreu returns to the lineup, having sat yesterday against Atlanta. His leg still isn’t 100% and Bruce Bochy doesn’t seem confident he can play three straight days, opting to go two on and one off with the 28-year-old.
Juan Perez collects another start in center field, pushing Gregor Blanco to left and Andres Torres to the bench. Torres’ defense has come under fire of late, and a pair of questionable plays in yesterday’s nationally-televised game in Atlanta. Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area tweeted during the game yesterday that his money is on Perez as the best center fielder on the roster. He said it rather offhandedly and even revoked it later when Blanco made a great play, but it’s something to consider with Angel Pagan still sidelined.
Here’s the lineup against RHP Edinson Volquez (5-5, 5.87 ERA):
LF Blanco
2B Abreu
SS Crawford
RF Pence
1B Belt
3B Arias
C Sanchez
CF Perez
LHP Zito (4-5, 4.79 ERA)