San Francisco @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( May 8, 2013 ) Philadelphia 3, San Francisco 4

Two teams with similar trajectories meet Tuesday when the San Francisco Giants visit the Philadelphia Phillies for a three-game series. With Wednesday’s trade deadline fast approaching, both teams have switched from buyers to sellers after struggling in recent weeks. The Giants have lost 22 of their last 30 to fall a season-high 10 games behind the first-place Dodgers, while Philadelphia has dropped eight straight and sits a season-worst seven game below .500.

The Phillies begin a nine-game homestand, but it remains to be seen whether third baseman Michael Young, closer Jonathan Papelbon and second baseman Chase Utley will still be with the team after Wednesday. All three have been mentioned in trade rumors in recent weeks, along with the Giants’ Hunter Pence and Tim Lincecum. One player unlikely to be dealt is Giants’ third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who is batting .317 over his last 17 games.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), CSN Philadelphia

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants LH Barry Zito (4-7, 4.92 ERA) vs. Phillies LH John Lannan (2-4, 4.13)

Zito has fallen into a deep funk while going winless in nine starts since May 30. The 35-year-old allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings last Tuesday against Cincinnati, and has yielded three runs or more in four of his last five starts. John Mayberry Jr. is 4-for-8 with three homers against Zito, who is 3-3 with a 4.14 ERA in eight career starts against the Phillies.

After tossing eight innings in each of his previous two starts, Lannan surrendered four runs over four frames against the Cardinals on Wednesday. The 28-year-old has allowed three runs or fewer in 48 of his last 60 starts while going 22-21 over that stretch. Jeff Francoeur is 15-for-28 with one home run against Lannan, who is 0-1 with a 1.74 ERA in three career starts against the Giants.

WALK-OFFS

1. Zito is 0-6 with a 9.89 ERA in eight road starts.

2. The Phillies have scored a total of 14 runs in their last eight games.

3. The Giants visited the White House on Monday in honor of their 2012 World Series championship.

PREDICTION: Phillies 6, Giants 4