Blake Snell faced a tough time as he returned to play at Tropicana Field with the San Francisco Giants.
The pitcher, who has won the Cy Young Award twice, struggled, giving up seven runs in four innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. This included allowing two home runs.
In the first inning, Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer, contributing to a three-run inning. Later, René Pinto, who hadn’t been hitting well recently, connected for a three-run homer in the fourth inning. Before this game, Pinto had only two hits and had struck out nine times in his last 13 at-bats.
Snell faced challenges, giving up six hits and two walks while striking out four. He expressed his frustration, acknowledging the need to improve his pitch location to get better results.
The seven earned runs tied Snell’s career high. Last season, only one San Francisco starter, Alex Cobb, allowed as many earned runs in a game.
Despite the tough outing, the Rays showed patience and executed their plan well, according to Rosario.
Snell, who signed with the Giants after being with the Tampa Bay Rays and San Diego Padres, won his first Cy Young Award in 2018. He faced no particular emotions returning to Tropicana Field, where he had previously played.
As a free agent, Snell signed a two-year contract with the Giants, giving him the option to opt out after this season. While his start with the Giants has been challenging, manager Bob Melvin believes he’s still adjusting.
