Giants out to show they're contenders

SAN FRANCISCO >> After setting a franchise-record with 107 wins last year, the Giants are out to prove their 2021 success wasn't a fluke.

A 22-15 start to the season is an impressive opening salvo, but Gabe Kapler's club returns to Oracle Park on Friday with more opportunities to show it is still a serious contender for the National League pennant.

Enter the Padres (2414) and Mets (26-14), two of the league's top teams who are each heading to Oracle Park for three-game series over the next week. What should you expect as the Giants embark on their toughest homestand to date?

Here's what to watch for. STARTING OFF >> After his last start, Carlos Rodón said it would be “a long six days” until his next one. That day arrives Saturday against the Padres in a pitching matchup of two starters receiving early Cy Young chatter.

Rodón is coming off his worst start as a Giant, after the Cardinals tagged him for nine runs and chased him after 31/3 innings. The result was a serious outlier from his six previous stellar starts (35.0 IP, 1.80 ERA, 13.6 K/9), and the Giants don't necessarily believe Rodón pitched poorly. He pounded the strike zone, but St. Louis took the most aggressive approach of any team yet against Rodón.

The Padres have the second-lowest swing percentage in MLB (44.1%), which doesn't bode well for replicating the Cardinals' swing-early, swing-often strategy against Rodón.

The Giants will face right-hander Joe Musgrove (4-0, 2.20 ERA). An MLB.com survey of 70 writers this week had Rodón fourth in a waytoo-early Cy Young poll, with Musgrove right behind him.

The series opener Friday will feature right-hander Jakob Junis against Padres lefty ace Sean Manaea, a potential pitcher's dual in its own right, with the surprising contributions Junis has made. With a 1.74 ERA in 20 1/3 innings, Junis' 1.0 bWAR is tied with Mike Yastrzemski, and only one player on the Giants has been more valuable: Rodón (1.4).

PLAYING AT FULL STRENGTH >> For the first time this season, the Giants had all their projected starting infielders available for their series in Colorado but still only started three of them on the dirt. How Gabe Kapler uses Thairo Estrada, Tommy La Stella and Evan Longoria now that the latter two are healthy is something to keep an eye on.