What We Learned While Jefferies Struggled in the Giants’ Loss to the Red Sox originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
The Giants have opened twice during the 2024 MLB season and have now lost both times.
But just like a week ago, it wasn’t the fault of Wednesday night’s first game at Fenway Park, the Giants’ 6-2 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Reliever Erik Miller was likely chosen as San Francisco’s starter because Boston starts its lineup with two left-handed hitters. Miller passed Jarren Duran on nine shots and then Rafael Dever on four shots. However, Miller then struck out right-hander Rob Refsnyder on three pitches and got right-hander Tyler O’Neill to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Daulton Jefferies then allowed four earned runs in less than three innings in relief of Miller. Jefferies was called up on Wednesday after spending the last month in Triple-A. In two appearances with the GiantsJefferies has now given up 13 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings.
The Red Sox (18-13) started the first five innings with their leadoff hitter reaching base. Their offense hit four doubles and a triple, and the Giants (14-17) were lucky it wasn’t another blowout. The Red Sox already had 15 runners in scoring position through the first five innings and finished the night 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position, leaving seven runners on base.
Here are three takeaways from the Giants’ second straight loss in Boston to start their three-game series.
No redemption for Daulton
Jefferies waited a month to make amends and show the Giants he belongs in the big leagues. He fell short again. From afar too.
The Cal product and Bay Area native put himself in a tough spot, walking Wilyer Abreu on five pitches. Abreu ended up stealing second base, but was trapped on a flyout and strikeout. The third inning was the turning point, with Jefferies again putting himself in an early hole, including some bad luck.
After a single and walk down the field, Jefferies got the worst of the Green Monster. What looked like a fly ball off the tip of Devers’ bat turned out to be an RBI double to tie the game at 1-1.
Devers’ double had an expected batting average of .010. A Refsnyder strike to the next batter gave the Red Sox a 2-1 lead.
Jefferies then allowed two doubles and a triple in the fourth inning. His day ended with the Giants trailing 4-2 and with a runner on third base. Jefferies allowed four earned runs on five hits, two walks and three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.
Bad luck
Devers’ double wasn’t the only time the Giants were unlucky against the Red Sox. Ask Jorge Soler about this.
The Giants’ struggling slugger had exit velocities of 110.7, 107.6 and 101.2 mph. Here’s what he had to show: Lineout, lineout, lineout.
And probably a sore right thigh.
Soler’s three lineups expected batting averages of .890, .680, and .470, but he finished the game 0 for 4. He had the highest, second-highest, and eighth-highest exit velocities of the day. Mike Yastrzemski also had the sixth-highest exit velocity (103.8) and Jung Hoo-Lee had the 10th-hardest hit ball at 99.4 miles per hour.
Yastrzemski fell to the ground and Lee lined up. The process was better for the Giants’ offense, even though the results weren’t there.
This has to be good
For how great a catcher Patrick Bailey has been this season, his backup, Tom Murphy, was batting under .100 on Wednesday night. Murphy has appeared in 10 games and has 27 hits so far this season. He also only had two hits.
His third hit of the season was Murphy’s first home run as a Giant.
Murphy’s blast was unquestionable, traveling 407 feet. The long ball would have been a home run in all 30 ballparks behind a 26-degree launch angle and 106.4 mph exit velocity. Murphy went 0-for-2 and struck out once the rest of the way, still raising his batting average to .100.
