This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The San Francisco Giants are hoping just to break even when they face the visiting St. Louis Cardinals in the regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.
Two teams that have hovered around .500 all season have split the first two games of the series. The Cardinals won 6-3 on Friday before the Giants rebounded for a 6-5 triumph Saturday.
The victory moved San Francisco (80-81) within one win of a .500 season. The club finished 81-81 in 2022 before losing four of its final five games to land at 79-83 last season.
Cardinals scheduled starter Michael McGreevy (2-0, 2.40 ERA) has performed well in his three career outings. St. Louis (82-79) has won all three games, two of which the right-hander started.
McGreevy has never faced the Giants, who are expected to counter with fellow rookie Hayden Birdsong (5-5, 4.66). He has gone 2-0 in his past three starts while allowing just five runs in 15 2/3 innings.
Birdsong, who grew up about 125 miles northeast of St. Louis, will be pitching against the Cardinals for the first time.
Several individual distinctions and team honors will be on the line on the final day of the season.
Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, who broke the club’s single-season save record with his 49th during the club’s win on Friday, will attempt to become just the 18th in major league history to reach 50 on Sunday. He did not pitch Saturday.
“When I came back (from a forearm injury last) September and I was only the closer and got seven saves,” he said, “I was like, ‘If I get seven a month times six, then that’s 42, and that’s a pretty good year.’ Obviously, I’ve eclipsed that, and it’s been fun.”
Brendan Donovan took advantage of Nolan Arenado’s day off Saturday to move four points ahead for the Cardinals’ batting average crown. Donovan went 3-for-5 with a double and two singles, raising his average to .276. Arenado is batting .272.
The Cardinals’ home run title is also up for grabs. Paul Goldschmidt has hit 22 homers this season while Alec Burleson is right behind him with 21.
Matt Chapman has all but secured the Giants’ lead in home runs and RBIs this season. He has 27 homers and has driven in 78 runs, leading Heliot Ramos, who has 22 homers and 72 RBIs, in both categories. Chapman needs two runs to reach 100 for the third time in his career.
The veteran is enjoying quite a finish to his first season with the Giants. He learned Friday that he had won the team’s Willie Mac Award for most inspirational player.
“It’s just been a cherry on top of a great month,” he said. “Obviously, it’d be better if we were going to the playoffs. That’s my goal. I’m going to work this offseason to make that possible next year.”
In his first full season in the major leagues, Ramos has all but wrapped up the batting title for San Francisco. The 25-year-old is hitting .269 in 475 at-bats.
–Field Level Media
