SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants got another big homer from the superstar in their lineup, but that was no match for the five hit by the New York Mets.
Matt Wilkinson got roughed up early and Yunior Marte gave up two more homers while saving the rest of the bullpen with five innings of relief. The Giants fell 10-6 at Citi Field, dropping to 2-3 on this packed three-city trip.
The Mets jumped out to a 7-0 lead through two innings, but the Giants — as they did earlier on the trip in Pittsburgh — kept clawing runs back. They got two in the third, one in the seventh and then a clutch three-run homer from Rafael Devers in the eighth, cutting the deficit to three. That was as close as they would get, though.
Here are three things to know from a high-scoring Friday night in New York …
The Hottest Hitter Alive
Devers went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts on Thursday in Pittsburgh, but there’s no keeping him down for more than a few at-bats right now.
He won a nine-pitch battle with former Giants right-hander Austin Warren in the eighth and yanked a three-run homer to get the Giants back in the game. It was the seventh homer in the last 12 games for Devers, who is quickly climbing the statistical ranks in the National League.
Devers drove in five runs, and he now ranks fifth in the NL in homers (33) and sixth in RBI. His OPS is up to .846 and his wRC+ is 131, with both figures ranking 10th in the league. Devers is also now tied for the league lead with 34 doubles and he has a good shot to become the first Giant since Brandon Belt in 2016 to get to 40 two-baggers.
Off Course
Wilkinson gave up three homers in the first two innings, but there was no common theme. He caught too much of the plate with a 91 mph fastball to Mark Vientos, who went the opposite way for a three-run blast in the first. Francisco Alvarez went up and got an elevated 91 mph fastball in the second and hit a solo shot. Bo Bichette made it 7-0 with a two-run blast on a cutter that was a bit of a hanger.
Wilkinson had allowed just one homer over his first three big-league appearances, and it hasn’t generally been a problem for him in the minors. He averaged one homer every 10 innings this season in Double-A and Triple-A, which included a lengthy stint in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.
The rookie left-hander was charged with seven runs, but only four of them were earned because of an error at shortstop. He has a 6.14 ERA through his first four big-league appearances.
Forming a Platoon?
The Giants continue to get good production in center field, and they certainly look to have the makings of a nice 2027 platoon between a couple of young players.
Drew Gilbert started the game and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run. Jonah Cox pinch-hit against lefty Jefry Yan and picked up the first of his two late-game singles.
Gilbert’s wRC+ for the season is up to 97, which puts him a tick below league-average, and he’s been trending upwards in the second half. In a much smaller sample, Cox has an eye-popping 143 wRC+, and both continue to play good defense in center field.
There’s been no sign of Harrison Bader since his accident, but the Giants appear to be in good shape in center field next year regardless of how that one plays out.
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