SJ Giants Series Preview April 14-19 at Rancho Cucamonga
Published on April 14, 2026 under California League (CalL)
San Jose Giants News Release
San Jose Giants (7-2) at Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (6-3)
Tuesday, April 14 - Sunday, April 19
Morongo Field (Rancho Cucamonga, CA)
Video: MiLB.TV/Bally Live
SOCAL ROAD TRIP: The defending California League champion San Jose Giants travel to Southern California for the first time this season when they take on the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels affiliate) at Morongo Field at the Epicenter. This week's series begins with an 11:00 AM contest on Tuesday before four straight evening games Wednesday through Saturday (all at 6:30 PM) and then another day game on Sunday (2:00 PM). The Giants are scheduled to play 18 games against the Quakes this season and will visit Rancho Cucamonga again July 28-August 2.
BACK-TO-BACK SERIES WINS: The Giants have opened the regular season with back-to-back series wins against North Division rivals. San Jose won two of three games in Stockton to begin the season before taking five of six contests against Visalia at Excite Ballpark last week. The homestand was capped off by a doubleheader sweep of the Rawhide last Sunday following Saturday's weather postponement (San Jose's first rainout since May 4, 2024). The Giants enter this week riding a three-game winning streak and with a league-best 7-2 record. San Jose has yet to lose consecutive games this season.
HITTING LEADERS: The Giants are off to an excellent start at the plate this season currently leading the California League in runs scored (7.4 per game), batting average (.320), on-base percentage (.405), doubles (23) and OPS (.903). The Giants also rank second in stolen bases (17 steals in 18 attempts) and third in home runs (9). San Jose has scored at least 10 runs in three of their first nine games of the season. Also of note, Giants hitters have the fewest strikeouts of any team in the league (7.7 per game).
CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES REMATCH...SORT OF: This week's matchup between the Giants and Quakes serves as a de facto rematch of last September's Championship Series after the Angels switched their affiliation from Inland Empire to Rancho Cucamonga prior to this season. 14 of the 29 players currently with San Jose were on the Championship Series roster last year when the Giants swept the 66ers to take home the title.
Keyner Martinez, who is scheduled to start Tuesday's series opener versus the Quakes, was San Jose's starting pitcher in Game 1. He pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed three runs with three strikeouts in the postseason contest.
Ricardo Estrada, who starts Sunday's series finale this week, was the winning pitcher out of the bullpen in Game 1 - a 7-3 Giants victory. Current Giant position players Jhonny Level, Lorenzo Meola and Cam Maldonado all played in the championship-clinching Game 2. Inland Empire's two starting pitchers in the Championship Series - Dylan Jordan and Trey Gregory-Alford - are both scheduled to start games against the Giants this week (Friday and Saturday respectively).
LEVELING UP: Jhonny Level is off to a sizzling start at the plate for the Giants. The 19-year old shortstop, currently rated the #4 prospect in the organization by MLB.com, is 14-for-27 (.519 AVG) in his first six games this season with five doubles, two home runs, nine RBI's and three stolen bases. Level enters this week's series on a streak of four straight multi-hit games (11- for-19). The youngest player on the Giants roster currently, Level was named the Top MLB Prospect in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League last season. Level starts the week leading the California League in batting average, hits, doubles, on-base percentage (.567) and OPS (1.493).
OTHER OFFENSIVE STANDOUTS: In addition to Level, the Giants have five other players entering the week with batting averages above .300.
Hayden Jatczak and Rob Barajas Jr. each homered in their professional debut game during San Jose's season opener (April 2 at Stockton) and have remained hot at the plate. Jatczak is 9-for-25 (.360 AVG) overall with a league- leading 10 walks (.528 OBP) while Barajas Jr. ranks second in the Cal League doubles (4) and RBI's (10) to go with a .333 AVG (9-for-27).
Jeremiah Jenkins hit his first two home runs of the season last week against Visalia and is batting .400 overall (8-for-20).
Isaiah Barkett (.421 AVG, 9-for-21, HR, 5 RBI) and Andy Polanco (.400 AVG, 10-for-25, 5 RBI, 4 SB) have also excelled early in the season. Barkett connected for a home run in his second career professional game (April 7 vs. Visalia).
'PEN TO PAPER: After allowing 13 earned runs in the first two games of the season (11.70 ERA), the Giants bullpen has fashioned a 2.35 ERA (10 ER/38.1 IP) over the last seven games. San Jose relievers are averaging 11.7 strikeouts per nine innings this season - tops in the California League. The Giants are also the only bullpen in the league without a blown save this year (3-for-3 in save opportunities).
CHAMPIONSHIP REVIEW: The 2025 season was a magical year in the South Bay as the Giants won the California League championship. San Jose posted a league-best 81-51 regular season record - the most wins by a Giants team in 12 years. The Giants earned a trip to the playoffs after winning the first half North Division title marking the sixth straight year that San Jose reached the postseason. The Giants then swept both the Fresno Grizzlies (2-0) in the North Division Series and Inland Empire 66ers (2-0) in the Championship Series on their way to the league title. San Jose set a team record by averaging 6.1 runs per game during the regular season. In addition to leading the Cal League in runs scored, the Giants boasted the top ERA at 3.50 - the lowest earned run average by a San Jose club in 10 years. The Giants also owned a league-best +251 run differential while their overall record was tops among all 30 Single-A teams.
ON DECK: Following the current series in Rancho Cucamonga, the Giants return home for a six-game set against new Dodgers affiliate, the Ontario Tower Buzzers, beginning on Tuesday, April 21.
California League Stories from April 14, 2026
- SJ Giants Series Preview April 14-19 at Rancho Cucamonga - San Jose Giants
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