As Landen Roupp nears career high in innings, Giants plan to ‘let him pitch’

SEATTLE — Landen Roupp didn’t want his night to end. But he didn’t put up a fight.

When just over two more innings represents a career high for a season, you learn to pick your battles over going back out for one more. Even in the case of Roupp, who shares the same bulldog mentality as Logan Webb and, on Friday, sure pitched like the Giants’ ace, too.

Giants pitcher Landen Roupp expects to play a big role during the second half of the season. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Roupp tossed seven shutout innings to help the Giants start the second half on the right note Friday in a 7-0 win over the Mariners. Still, he understood he had minimal leverage to persuade manager Tony Vitello to give him the chance of completing eight for a second straight start.

“He made a comment today about not fighting to go back out there in the eighth,” Vitello said.

Instead, he handed the game off to Jason Foley, who touched 97 mph while tossing a scoreless eighth in his first big-league appearance since 2024. Caleb Kilian took care of business in the ninth, and the Giants finished what they hope is a preview of what’s to come in their final stretch.

Roupp, 27, figures to be a big part of the Giants’ second-half plans, especially if Robbie Ray and/or Tyler Mahle are pitching for different teams after the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

The young right-hander has looked the part of a No. 2 his past two times out. Before allowing two hits over seven innings against the Mariners, Roupp limited the Blue Jays to one run on three hits. 

In that outing, 11 days earlier, Roupp was allowed to complete eight innings, a career high. That also put him on the doorstep of another significant milepost: He was less than 10 innings from matching his largest workload in one season — the 106 ⅔ he threw last year.

When his night was over Friday, Roupp’s inning total stood at 104.

By the sounds of it, the Giants have no plans of lightening his load.

Vitello was asked after the game about his plans for Roupp in the second half, given the career high he is almost certain to blow past the next time he takes the mound.

“Let him pitch,” he said. “Try not to get in a fistfight in the dugout any time he comes out of the game.”

That’s music to Roupp’s ears.

“I don’t really like to take breaks,” he said. “It kind of just messes with my momentum and rhythm. … I feel good to go. I don’t really see anything stopping this.”

Roupp has tossed 104 innings this season and likely will eclipse his career high during his next start. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Roupp had plenty of downtime between his two most recent starts and said he felt a “little sluggish” when he took the mound in Seattle, even if it didn’t show. After starting 11 losses in a row, tying a franchise record, Roupp has used pretty much the same formula to correct course his past two starts.

“Just trying to pound the zone,” Roupp said. “Not really going for strikeouts much.”

For the most part, he has done a good job of generating early contact. That has allowed him to pitch deeper into games while limiting runs despite striking out less than a batter every two innings his past two starts, which could also bode well for his ability to continue to take on a larger workload.

“I think if you look at his whole body of work, he’s been great for us all year long,” Vitello said. “It’s just been a couple outings where his pitch count gets high on him because he’s not in the zone.”

The Giants opted to skip his last turn in the rotation before the All-Star break, a decision Vitello chalked up more to finding an opportunity for Carson Whisenhunt than giving Roupp a breather.

“Finding ways to get Wiz involved,” Vitello said, “is something we’re all thinking about in the back of our minds as we talk about the pitching staff.”

Soon enough, Roupp and Whisenhunt will likely be in the rotation. There should be no shortage of innings and starts to go around once the Giants’ sell-off commences.

In the meantime, Roupp found a creative setting to stay fresh during his extended layoff. While Webb was enjoying the All-Star festivities in Philadelphia and Vitello was relaxing on the beach in Cabo, Roupp stayed closer to home. He went to Santa Cruz with Casey Schmitt.

The teammates took in the boardwalk, mostly stayed away from the cold, seaweed-filled ocean water and played catch in the driveway of a friend’s house where they were staying.

“I guess it was good, in the long run, to take a break like that,” Roupp said, even though he added, “I would rather not” take another one.