(Photo credit: Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images)

The San Francisco Giants hope to avoid the Mason Miller treatment for a second game in a row when they get a rematch with the visiting San Diego Padres on Tuesday night.

Making his second appearance in San Francisco since his former team, the Athletics, moved to West Sacramento this year, Miller reminded Bay Area fans of his dominant form when he needed just 13 pitches to strike out the side in the eighth inning of Monday's 4-1 win.

A 2024 All-Star as a member of the A's, Miller has appeared in five games since being acquired by the Padres at the trade deadline. After allowing two runs in his second outing, he has found his footing in his past three appearances, recording a save and two holds while striking out nine in 3 1/3 scoreless innings.

Interestingly, the 26-year-old is growing more and more comfortable in the San Diego bullpen even as speculation has focused on the possibility of him becoming a starter for the Padres.

'I think all the focus is on this year and pitching out of the bullpen,' he said on the 'Foul Territory' telecast last week. 'That's not to say down the road we can't revisit and have conversations. Being able to think about and say that I'm going to be here for the next four years, I think there are possibilities of that.'

The Padres' focus in the second of three games in San Francisco will be on recording a 13th win in a 16-game span and possibly catching the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the National League West. The Dodgers will take the field in the Freeway Series against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday night with just a one-game lead.

Hoping to get the ball to the San Diego bullpen in good shape for the second consecutive night will be left-hander Nestor Cortes (1-1, 7.11), who will be making his second start for the Padres since being acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers.

The 30-year-old has made just one lifetime start against the Giants, getting a no-decision for the New York Yankees in a 7-5 win at San Francisco last June when he allowed three runs and seven hits -- including home runs by Heliot Ramos and Casey Schmitt -- in 4 1/3 innings.

Cortes can expect to see an aggressive Giants team on the basepaths. In an effort to wake up his slumbering offense, Giants manager Bob Melvin admitted he went into the series thinking steal signs might create some energy. The Giants entered the All-Star break at seven game over .500; they are now one game under.

Unfortunately, the Giants got only four baserunners (not counting Rafael Devers' home run) on Monday. And the one time a running opportunity arose, it blew up in the team's face when Drew Gilbert, having stolen second base, was gunned down trying to take third when the throw got away.

'We tried to push the running game. Obviously, you've got to get guys on base to do it,' Melvin told reporters after the team's 11th loss in its past 12 home games. 'Put guys in motion. Try to make something happen that way. But there was a lack of baserunners to really do anything with it.'

The Giants will turn on the mound to left-hander Robbie Ray (9-5, 2.85), who has gone winless in his past six starts despite allowing two or fewer runs in five of them.

The 33-year-old will be making his 20th career start against the Padres, having gone 6-6 with a 4.15 ERA in the first 19 head-to-heads.

- Field Level Media