SAN FRANCISCO — Daniel Susac’s career in the majors is about two weeks old. He’s made two starts, and he’s been the center of attention in both. It would’ve been understandable for Susac to have trouble containing his excitement when discussing his latest three-hit game, one that snapped the Giants’ four-game losing streak.
Susac, though, maintained a steadiness when speaking with reporters following the Giants’ 6-0 win on Tuesday night against the Philadelphia Phillies. The 24-year-old was excited about going 3-for-4 and recording his first two RBIs, yes, but his answers were measured and his tone was calm. For Susac, his focus had already shifted to the next game.
“I think that’s just kind of always been my personality,” Susac said. “Just kind of an older soul.”
An older soul who made all kinds of new history.
“Prior to today, he earned the right to be out there for us more often. It’d be good for both of those guys. I think they’ve got a good friendship and also a good working relationship,” said manager Tony Vitello of Susac and Patrick Bailey.
With back-to-back singles in his first two at-bats, Susac became the first Giants player since 1900 to record a hit in his first five at-bats. The only other major leaguer in the expansion era (since 1961) to go 5-for-5 to start his career was Tex Cox, who went 6-for-6 in 1977. Before Susac, the last Giant to start his career with four hits in four at-bats was Willie McCovey in 1959.
Susac finally made an out in his sixth career plate appearance when he flew out in the bottom of the sixth, but he checked off two more milestones in the bottom of the eighth when his first double manufactured his first and second RBIs.
Along with his offense, Susac was behind the plate for left-hander Robbie Ray’s first quality start of the season. Ray played the role of stopper, pitching 6 2/3 scoreless innings (109 pitches) with seven strikeouts to three walks.
“The biggest thing today was Robbie Ray,” Susac said. “He was so good, just impressive. It’s always good to see him execute his plan, and he did a really good job of that today.”
Susac attributed his early success to changes he made in the offseason. He worked with his older brother Andrew, who was Buster Posey’s backup catcher for two seasons, and fellow former Giant Zach Green. The focus was on being calmer, smoother at the plate, allowing him to see the ball better. There was also an emphasis on going out to right field more often.
“I think growing up, my strength was the opposite side of the field, getting back to that,” Susac said. “I’ll pull the ball when I get thrown there, but taking what they give me the other way as well has really helped me.”
While Cox recorded his six hits in back-to-back days, Susac hadn’t gotten a plate appearance since his first start last Thursday.
Susac, the backup to two-time Gold Glove Award winner Patrick Bailey, knows his playing time will be sparse, but he’s staying ready by catching as many bullpens as possible and sticking to his same hitting routine every day.
Both of Susac’s first two hits were against All-Star left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who finished second in NL Cy Young Award last year. Sánchez could’ve very well been the latest opposing pitcher to silence San Francisco’s offense, but the Giants tagged him for four runs (two earned) on 11 hits over five innings.
Along with Susac, the Giants received notable contributions against Sánchez from Willy Adames (two doubles), Luis Arraez (two RBIs) and Matt Chapman (three hits, one RBI, one run).
“It’s always nice to know how you stack up against some of the best in the game,” Susac said. “Obviously, a guy like Sánchez has had a lot of success, really good pitcher. To be able to work some good at-bats off him, it’s obviously a good confidence boost.”
“(The offense) had an approach, and they looked really good doing it,” Ray said. “It seemed like they were just ready, and it was fun to see.”
San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) is doused with Gatorade by San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) after their 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) and San Francisco Giants’ Luis Arraez (1) celebrate their 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) is tagged out at home plate by Philadelphia Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto (10) in the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) celebrates his double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) singles against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) throws to first base after tagging out Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber (12) at second base on an attempted double play on a ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies’ Bryce Harper (3) in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Harper was safe at first. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) high-fives a teammate after scoring a run off of a single hit by San Francisco Giants’ Luis Arraez (1) against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) hits an RBI double against the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Luis Arraez (1) is brushed back by a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello pulls San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) from the game against the Philadelphia Phillies in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Keaton Winn (67) high-fives San Francisco Giants’ Daniel Susac (6) after their 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) throws to first base for an out on a ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies’ Trea Turner (7) in the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello chats with WWE wrestler Kit Wilson before the Giants game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
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San Francisco Giants’ Matt Chapman (26) is doused with Gatorade by San Francisco Giants’ Willy Adames (2) after their 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
With the Giants leading 4-0 going into the seventh, manager Tony Vitello gave Ray an opportunity to complete seven innings despite being at 90 pitches. Vitello stuck with Ray after he walked the first batter he faced, and the left-hander responded by retiring his next two batters.
Following another walk, which put two on with two outs, Vitello pulled Ray and rolled with the right-hander Ryan Walker. Despite a wild pitch that put runners on second and third, Walker got rookie Justin Crawford to hit into an inning-ending groundout.
“The only thing he batted an eye at was taking the ball from him,” Vitello said. “A comical conversation out there, but make no bones about it, he wanted to be out there. To be honest with you, to give insight in the dugout, we gave him one hitter more than we said we were going to at that time.”
Vitello sent Walker out for the eighth inning, and the crossfiring righty added an aura of anxiety when he allowed a leadoff single to Trea Turner and walked Bryce Harper. With two on and one out, Walker retired his next two batters and escaped from the mess he created.
Left-hander Erik Miller was originally warming up to pitch the ninth inning, but right-hander Keaton Winn finished out the game after Susac’s two-run triple in the bottom of the eighth.
“The five (starting pitchers) all got it in them that when it’s not going good for the team to even take more of a stand than you normally would,” Vitello said. “I can’t speak for Robbie, but it kind of felt like that. He was going to do the job he always does, but a little more determination in there to make sure things go well for his teammates tonight.”