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Aug 20, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Landen Roupp (65) is looked at by a trainer after being hit by a ball hit by San Diego Padres right fielder Ramon Laureano (5) during the third inning at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

The Giants' Pitching Staff is In a State of Flux Right Now

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 7:24 AM ET

As if the Giants needed anything else to go wrong this season, they have lost another pitcher to injury, while another's rehab assignment has been shut down. Something about being on the mound and wearing a Giants jersey is almost like asking to be struck by lightning. Especially recently.

Wednesday night against the San Diego Padres, starter Landen Roupp, who had just returned from the Injured List six days ago, was struck by a line drive and forced to leave the game to be evaluated. He pitched 2 1/3 innings in his 'comeback', which turned out to be an earlier evening than Giants manager Bob Melvin had in mind.

“The ball hit him in the back of the leg, I think,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It was when he caught himself, and then when he had to go get the ball again. I don’t know if he hyperextended it. Obviously, it was scary for a second.”

Roupp will fly back to San Francisco and undergo an MRI on Thursday, and it's expected he will return to the IL. There's also the possibility that the club may shut him down for the remainder of the season

This, coupled with the erratic pitching of fellow starter Kai-Wei Teng, who was bounced early in his last appearance. He's been scuffling so badly in his previous few outings that Melvin isn't sure if he's going to get another start this year.

Teng now has an ERA of 8.78 and has surrendered 13 earned runs in four starts, and has racked up three hit batters and nine walks over 13 1/3 innings. Even with Teng's spot in the rotation tenuous, the Giants skipper tried to find some positives in Teng's performance.

“He had better stuff than he did last time,” Manager Bob Melvin said. “It looked like he was in command. He gives up a run in the first, but we make an error. He got out of that jam. It looked like his stuff was better. He was getting ahead. He was getting different swings. And then obviously, he went out for the fourth and hit a couple of guys, and it kind of got away from him a little bit.”

The Bullpen has been Injured and Erratic

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

It's not just the Giants' starting pitchers who have been snake-bitten; the relievers have had it rough in 2025, as well. That was never more evident than in the recent news about lefty Erik Miller, who was supposed to be working his way back to action from an elbow strain.

Unfortunately for Miller and the team, he has suffered elbow inflammation recently, which was confirmed by an MRI on Tuesday. He will not throw for two weeks and then will be re-evaluated, but there's a chance that he may also be shut down for the rest of the season, as well.

Before the injuries, Miller, 27, was dominant, sporting a 1.50 ERA in appearances, and his absence has highlighted how thin the Giants' relieving corps truly is.

Without a dominant closer, the team has relied on Camilo Dotel (who had 15 saves for the club before being dealt to the Yankees at the trade deadline) and Ryan Walker (10 saves) to finish games. That further illuminates the Giants' pitching issues, and it's something that Team President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey must address in the offseason.