Landen Roupp of the Giants pitches despite back pain in defeat to the Brewers

MILWAUKEE — Giants Face New Challenges Amid Heavy Loss

The Giants’ season took a further downturn during their crushing 16-2 defeat to the Brewers on Monday. Landen Loup, who had been the team’s standout starter, opted out from pitching due to health issues, which manager Tony Vitello later confirmed were related to back pain.

“His back was a little stiff,” Vitello mentioned, adding that, while it wasn’t Loup’s best performance, he could see how the injury affected his game. “I think knowing that helped a bit,” he noted.

Loup, who gave up a season-high eight earned runs over four innings, tried to downplay any concerns about the injury being long-term or affecting the team’s upcoming road trip. “When you’re not feeling well, that’s always in the back of your mind,” Loup remarked. “I have to compete better, though.”

It took Loup 96 pitches to navigate through the fourth inning, with half being strikes and five walks tying a season-high. The transitioning moment came after the Giants initially took a 2-0 lead; Milwaukee quickly turned the tide.

Loup reflected, “Everyone gave me two early, so I kind of slapped them in the face,” acknowledging the abrupt change in momentum.

While it might seem like a manager would pull a pitcher struggling with an injury, Vitello pointed out he could only act on what he was told. Loup, known for his competitive spirit, waited until after the game to inform the staff about his back issues. “I think it just built up as the pitch count increased,” Vitello noted, confirming he didn’t think Loup was in any immediate danger.

Yet, back problems are serious, especially for a player with Loup’s history. He mentioned this issue is “obviously less serious” than a previous injury that sidelined him for the latter half of the 2023 season.

Previously, Loup had been performing well, starting ten games in Double-A with a 1.74 ERA. However, he faced a significant setback when he slipped a disc in his hip last June, an injury that ultimately forced him off the mound.

Despite this recent development, Vitello expressed confidence in Loup’s resilience. “We’re going to have to wrest the ball out of his hands,” he said, believing Loup would always want to stay in the game.

Before Loup potentially heads to injured reserve, it’s worth noting Vitello made similar comments about Logan Webb earlier in the season.

In a silver lining, Webb is set to pitch again on Wednesday, which could offer some relief for the Giants if they decide to give Loup time to recover. Trevor McDonald has stepped into Webb’s rotation spot and is filling in for Tyler Mahle, who recently went on the IL due to a hamstring strain.

If Loup is sidelined, the Giants have options in Triple-A Sacramento, but ideally no one is as promising as top prospect Kyle Harrison, who is slated to pitch Tuesday. Other potential replacements include Carson Whisenhunt, who had a solid streak before being hit in his last outing, and Carson Seymour, who performed well last season with a respectable ERA.