Landen Roupp impresses with scoreless innings for San Francisco Giants. He's pushing for a rotation spot.
The San Francisco Giants continued evaluating their rotation picture Monday against the Chicago White Sox, and Landen Roupp delivered one of the sharpest outings of the afternoon.
The right-hander tossed two scoreless innings, needing just 25 pitches to get through his work. Fourteen of those pitches were strikes, good for a 56 percent strike rate, and he recorded two strikeouts along the way.
More importantly, Roupp worked efficiently and stayed around the zone, avoiding the kind of traffic that can derail a spring appearance.
With competition ongoing for the fifth starter spot, outings like this only strengthen his position. If he continues to pound the zone and generate swing-and-miss, he could separate himself in what remains an open battle.
Whisenhunt Faces Uphill Climb
Carson Whisenhunt’s spring has not followed the same trajectory. The left-hander lasted just 1 2/3 innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs while issuing one walk and striking out two.
It marked his second consecutive difficult appearance in Cactus League play. In his previous outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on February 25, he surrendered five earned runs and four walks in a single inning of work.
The back-to-back struggles complicate his chances of cracking the starting rotation and may also impact his odds of securing a bullpen role, given the growing competition among relief arms.
Spring performances are not definitive, but consistency matters — and Whisenhunt will need a strong rebound in his next opportunity.
Bats Provide Encouragement
Casey Schmitt turned in a perfect 2-for-2 performance, continuing to make the most of his opportunities. Cristian Koss chipped in with a two-run single in the third inning as part of a 1-for-2 day. Victor Bericoto remained one of the hottest hitters in camp, finishing 1-for-2 with a double.
Bericoto’s spring surge has been hard to ignore. He now owns a .533 batting average and a 1.533 OPS, numbers that are forcing evaluators to take notice as roster decisions inch closer.
Up Next
The Giants ultimately would beat the White Sox by a score of 6-5. Cactus League play resumes Tuesday as San Francisco faces Team USA ahead of the upcoming World Baseball Classic tournament, with first pitch scheduled for 3:05 p.m. ET.
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