Pair of SF Giants rookie pitchers record impressive first in back-to-back games

Firsts in baseball are always a fun experience. The first hit, first strikeout, first home run, first win. For the SF Giants, Mason Black and Landen Roupp each recorded their first career win in back-to-back games against the Kansas City Royals over the weekend.

Pair of SF Giants rookie pitchers record impressive first in back-to-back games

They both looked good doing it, too. In particular, Roupp is making a late push for a rotation spot in 2025 after four straight solid outings against some good teams.

I always caution against putting too much stock in September stats. This was especially true with expanded rosters while teams would face off against the back end of another team's 40-man roster. It would create an opportunity for a prospect to put together a strong finish, put his name on the map for the ensuing season, and then struggle right out of the gates. That might not be as common now that expanded rosters are limited to just 28 players.

Black took the hill on Friday night. He had a 7.07 ERA through his first seven starts in the majors. The Royals have been a playoff-caliber team for much of the year, so this presented a tough challenge for the rookie pitcher. However, just as the Giants lineup has often struggled against pitchers they have not seen previously, the same is true for many other teams well.

In fairness to Black, the numbers did not look great. However, he would often put together a promising stretch during a start only for it to be ruined by one bad inning. At the end of the day, the numbers are what they are and the rookie pitcher has struggled.

Black completed 5.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts and one walk on Friday night to earn his first career win. He does not overpower hitters with velocity or stuff, but he has a strong mound presence. The next step for him will be finding a way to make his changeup a functional third pitch.

On the other hand, Landen Roupp was inserted into the rotation earlier this month and has made an encouraging impression. With only one week to go in the season, he will finish the year in the rotation and he has certainly earned it.

In his four starts this season, Roupp has allowed just two earned runs with 15 strikeouts and seven walks across 19 innings. The control does need to show some improvement, but he has generally shown a good feel for his sinker-curveball mix. Similar to Black, the changeup is a work in progress for Roupp but it has shown some functionality with it against left-handed hitters.

The 26-year-old completed five scoreless innings with three walks, three strikeouts, and seven groundouts to clinch his first win.

One detail that stands out about Roupp is that he has only allowed one home run this year while posting a 46.8 percent ground ball rate. The latter detail shows that he can get hitters out in more ways than one.

The Giants swept the series against the Royals over the weekend. It is too little too late for the team, but it was an exciting weekend for individual achievements for a pair of rookie pitchers.