Landen Roupp couldn’t have asked for a better way to introduce himself to Mike Trout in the first inning of the Giants’ game against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday.
The three-time AL MVP went down swinging, falling victim to a curveball that has brought Roupp plenty of success over his last two starts. Roupp struck out the side to begin Saturday’s game, but Trout’s next two at-bats against Roupp didn’t go as smoothly for the Giants starter. In the end, though, San Francisco was able to survive two Trout home runs off Roupp en route to a 3-2 victory at Angel Stadium.
“It was fun,” Roupp told reporters after the game about his first time facing Trout. “I wish I could have gotten him all three times, but that’s baseball and the way it goes, and I’ll learn from it.”
Aside from Trout’s two homers, Roup was lights-out against the Angels, recording a career-high nine strikeouts with one walk, five hits and two earned runs across seven innings on 96 pitches. His curveball, which he threw 56 times in a 10-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, was at work again 43 times Saturday and produced a 60-percent whiff rate.
Roupp’s sinker, which he threw as often as his curve (42 times), kept the Angels off balance as well, and the 1-2 punch allowed him to last seven innings for the first time in his MLB career.
“I think that’s new territory for him,” Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters of Roupp’s seven-inning outing. “Nine punch-outs, only walked one, kind of splits the plate with his sinker and his breaking ball going the other way. It’s a tough breaking ball to track; kind of has different shapes on it from time to time … Less than 100 pitches, so pretty impressive.”
“Pretty impressive.”
Bob Melvin lauded Landen Roupp’s strong outing in tonight’s win 👏 pic.twitter.com/e9M4mBDYna
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 20, 2025
After starting the 2025 MLB season out with a no decision and a loss, Roupp now has two consecutive wins under his belt and is proving worthy of the rotation spot Melvin gave him out of spring training. Giants third baseman Matt Chapman, who delivered two of San Francisco’s three runs Saturday with a two-run homer in the first inning, is encouraged by what he has seen from Roupp so far.
“I thought it was great,” Chapman told reporters of Roupp’s outing. “I think he continues to get experience every time he goes out there. He gets to go back out for the seventh, and he’s gaining confidence, gaining experience. He’s got really good stuff, and I think he gave [the Angels] some trouble tonight. Obviously Mike Trout’s a great player and put some good swings on the ball.
“I thought [Roupp] did an amazing job and gave us an opportunity to win that game.”
Seven innings, nine strikeouts and a win. After wasting a gem by Logan Webb on Friday night at Angel Stadium, the Giants improved to 14-7 on Saturday behind Roupp’s dominance, a 1-2-3 eighth inning from Tyler Rogers and Ryan Walker’s fifth save of the year. It’s all coming together for the 26-year-old Roupp, who can feel the difference and improvements every time he steps on the mound.
“My curveball has been the best it’s been,” Roupp said. “It’s not even close to what it is last year. It’s been where I think it’s always been — I just feel really good right now.”
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