LOS ANGELES -- Trevor McDonald didn’t draw the easiest assignment in his first big league start, but the 24-year-old rookie looked up to the task on Sunday afternoon.
McDonald fired six-plus innings of one-run ball in his third career Major League appearance, and the Giants rallied to score three runs in the eighth inning to beat the Dodgers, 3-1, and avoid a four-game sweep at Dodger Stadium.
“To be able to go through that lineup in his first start for us -- I’ll tell you what, he’s not afraid,” manager Bob Melvin said. “There was some determination in him. We lose the first three games, there’s a lot riding on it. He pitched great. He showed us a lot.”
With the win, the Giants (77-79) pulled within three games of the Mets (80-76) for the third and final National League Wild Card spot with six games left to play. (New York holds the tiebreaker, so the deficit is technically four games.)
McDonald matched Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan with six scoreless innings out of the gate, but he couldn’t get out of the seventh after he issued a leadoff walk to Max Muncy, who came around to score on back-to-back singles by Andy Pages and Michael Conforto.
Spencer Bivens replaced McDonald and retired Miguel Rojas on a sacrifice bunt before escaping the jam with the help of a nice play from No. 1 prospect Bryce Eldridge, who made his first career start at first base on Sunday. Eldridge dived to his left to snag a line drive off the bat of Tommy Edman and then quickly fired to third baseman Matt Chapman to double off Pages and end the inning.
Eldridge, who only started playing first base full-time last year, said he hasn’t had a ton of practice making throws across the diamond, but he managed to execute in a big spot and prevent the Dodgers from adding on.
“That was the one part of the play that I almost messed up, but thankfully we’ve got a Gold Glover over there who picked it for me,” Eldridge said. “I told him I’d get him back a few times for that.”
“He got tested there, but it was the key defensive play of the game,” Melvin said.
The Giants’ offense mustered only one hit and struck out 10 times against Sheehan, but they managed to come alive late against right-hander Blake Treinen in the eighth. Christian Koss and Drew Gilbert led off with back-to-back singles to set the table for pinch-hitter Patrick Bailey, who followed with a game-tying double down the right-field line.
The Dodgers intentionally walked Rafael Devers to load the bases with one out for Willy Adames, but the move backfired, as Adames drew another free pass to give San Francisco its first lead of the afternoon. Chapman knocked in another run with an RBI groundout, extending the Giants’ lead to 3-1.
McDonald didn’t end up factoring into the decision, but Melvin said he expects the Giants’ No. 18 prospect to get another start after his impressive showing against the Dodgers.
McDonald didn’t hold back from the start, as he began his afternoon by striking out Shohei Ohtani swinging on a 94 mph sinker.
“I think it definitely fueled me,” McDonald said. “I think it took a big amount of pressure off right off the rip. It kind of settled me down and got me in a rhythm.”
McDonald leaned on his curveball (45 percent) and his sinker (42 percent) to strike out three and induce nine groundouts, allowing him to get through six-plus innings on only 89 pitches (60 strikes). Seven of his 11 swinging strikes came on his curveball, which held opposing hitters to a .182 batting average at Triple-A Sacramento this year.
“That fired me up,” Eldridge said. “He’s my favorite pitcher to play defense behind. He just works quick, throws strikes. He makes our jobs a lot easier. I’m very happy for him. That was awesome, being able to see what he was doing against that lineup. That was badass.”
McDonald made his Major League debut on the final day of the regular season last year, but he spent most of the 2025 campaign at Sacramento, where he logged a 5.31 ERA over 29 appearances (24 starts) before earning his second callup last week. If he can continue to build on Sunday’s success, he should put himself in position to compete for a spot in the Giants’ rotation next spring.
“I’m really thankful to be here,” McDonald said. “We want to go out and keep winning and finish strong. Whatever happens, happens. I’ve just got to finish strong, carry it into the offseason and come back in spring and try to make the team.”