Giants’ Loup Shines in Strong Performance Against Mariners

SEATTLE — Landen Loop wanted the game to last longer, yet he didn’t object to coming out. With just a couple of innings remaining to hit a career high this season, he found a way to dig in rather than give up. Loop, sharing the same determined spirit as Logan Webb, certainly pitched like a top player for the Giants on Friday.

In this game, Loup delivered seven shutout innings, leading the Giants to a 7-0 victory over the Mariners as they kicked off the second half of the season. Still, he understood that he needed to impress coach Tony Vitello to earn another start and a shot at completing eight innings.

“He mentioned today about not fighting to come back in the eighth inning,” Vitello commented.

Instead, the responsibility shifted to Jason Foley, who threw eight scoreless innings, reaching 97 mph in his first major league outing since 2024. Caleb Killian then closed out the ninth, hinting at a hopeful journey ahead for the Giants.

At 27, Loop is poised to play a significant role in the Giants’ strategies for the latter part of the season, especially if key pitchers like Robbie Ray or Tyler Mahle end up with other teams after the trade deadline on August 3.

Loop seemed to thrive in a secondary role during his recent outings. Before allowing just two hits against the Mariners, he previously kept the Blue Jays to three hits and a single run.

In that previous game, he pitched a career-high eight complete innings. Now, he’s on the brink of another personal milestone, being less than ten innings away from his maximum workload of 106 2/3 innings pitched last year.

As Friday night wrapped up, Loop’s total innings stood at 104.

Looking Ahead

It appears the Giants are in no rush to ease Loop’s workload. When asked about his plans for the next half of the season, Vitello noted Loop’s upcoming opportunity to set a new career high.

“Let him pitch,” he remarked. “And make sure there are no fights in the dugout when he’s done.”

This was good news for Loop. “I don’t like taking breaks; it throws off my rhythm and momentum,” he stated. “I’m feeling good and don’t see anything getting in the way.”

The pitcher noted that some downtime between his last two games left him feeling slightly sluggish during this outing, even if the results didn’t show it. After struggling with an unfortunate record of 11 straight losses as a starter, Loop seems to have found a good rhythm in his last couple of games.

“We’re just focusing on attacking the zone,” he explained. “Strikeouts aren’t my main goal.”

His strategy has been effective; he made good contact early in games, allowing him to pitch deeper while holding runs down—even with a low strikeout rate in his recent starts, hinting that he could handle a heavier workload.

“When you look at his overall performance, he’s done really well for us,” Vitello expressed. “Only a few games have seen high pitch counts due to him not staying in the zone.”

The Giants opted to skip a last rotation turn before the All-Star break. However, Vitello’s choice was more about finding a spot for Carson Whisenhunt rather than simply giving Loop a break.

“We’re looking for ways to integrate Wiz into the rotation,” Vitello said.

Both Loop and Whisenhunt may join the rotation soon. Once the Giants start making trades, there should be no shortage of innings available.

In the meantime, Loop found ways to stay sharp during his break. While teammates enjoyed All-Star festivities and beach relaxation, he opted for a low-key trip to Santa Cruz with fellow player Casey Schmidt.

They explored the boardwalk, steering clear of the chilly sea, and practiced throwing in a friend’s driveway. “In the long run, I think this break was beneficial,” Loop mentioned, but added, “I really don’t want to take any more time off.”