The Milwaukee Brewers’ final season in Turner Field begins later today, as they play hosts to the visiting San Francisco Giants. The Braves are projected to be one of the worst teams in the National League East while the Nationals are considered as top contenders to snatch the division title.
It’s time to see what Jeff Samardzija can bring to the table for San Francisco. In his first test in Giants uniform, Samardzija will face Milwaukee on the road.
Samardzija is coming off a down year, posting an 11-13 record and a 4.96 ERA in 32 starts for the White Sox. A change in scenery could be just what the doctor ordered for the Shark to get back to his 2014 form, when he had a 2.99 ERA.
Samardzija, who went 6-5 to go with a 4.61 ERA in 16 road starts last season, ended spring training tenue by pitching six innings and allowing just two runs in a 5-2 win over Oakland on April 1.
San Francisco’s hitters don’t have much experience against Milwaukee’s Taylor Jungmann. Denard Span is the only Giant who’s faced Jungmann in the past, going 2-for-2 opposite the Brewers’ righty.
Samardzija’s 2015 team, the White Sox, went 4-2 in his last six road starts.
Milwaukee will get the ball to Taylor Jungmann in the tail end of this three-game series with San Francisco. Matt Garza was originally slated to start tonight’s ball game, but a shoulder injury has left the 26-year-old Jungmann taking over the starting role.
Jungmann showed flashes of brilliance last season, when he had a 4-1 record and a 2.15 ERA in seven starts before the All-Star break. He went 5-7 with 4.79 ERA in 14 starts following the midseason lull, but he still finished the year with a respectable 9-8 record and 3.77 ERA. Making his first appearance of 2016 at Miller Park should help Jungmann tackle the Giants better. For one, he was 5-2 with a 2.21 ERA and .236 opponents’ batting average in nine home starts in 2015.
Ryan Braun is 10-for-20 (.500) with three homers and eight RBIs in his career against Samardzija. Chris Carter, meanwhile is 7-for-15 (.467) with three home runs in the same matchup.
Milwaukee is 4-1 in Jungmann’s last five home starts.
