said, “but as you see out there, there’s not a lot of them available.”Notes: Fangio was Stanford’s defensive coordinator in 2010 and got to know Andrew Luck well and he wa

SAN FRANCISCO — Johnny Cueto returns from a two-month stint on the disabled list to open a 10-game homestand when the San Francisco Giants host the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series Thursday night.

The Giants completed a six-game trip with a thud Wednesday Brian Burns Jersey , dropping a third straight game at Colorado to cancel out an impressive three-game sweep at Arizona.

San Francisco will have to hope a return home rejuvenates the bats that produced 41 runs during a recent 7-3 homestand. The Giants were held to three runs at Colorado, their lowest total ever in a three-game series at Coors Field by a full four runs.

Cueto surely has the potential to turn the Giants’ pitching fortunes back in a positive direction. Before being sidelined by a sprained right elbow, he went 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA in five starts in March and April.

After giving up no runs in two injury-rehab starts at Triple-A Sacramento, he was deemed healthy enough to return to the Giants’ rotation.

“When you’ve got one of your big guys ready to go, you pitch him,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced this week. “He passed all the tests. He checked every box off. He’s thrown the ball well — no runs. His bullpen (Monday) went well, he’s practiced bunts, he’s set to go.”

Cueto will be making his 24th career start against the Cardinals, against whom he has gone 7-8 with a 3.74 ERA.

He has never lost to St. Louis since joining the Giants in 2016, going 2-0 with a 1.77 ERA in three starts.

The 32-year-old has had more than his fair share of success against some of the Cardinals’ top guns: Matt Carpenter (.217), Marcell Ozuna (.200) and Dexter Fowler (.158).

Cueto will face a Cardinals team that will be riding the momentum of a late explosion that produced an 8-4 win at Arizona on Wednesday night.

Before that win, St. Louis had lost five of its last six games, having totaled 19 runs in those games.

The Cardinals will send out 24-year-old right-hander Luke Weaver (4-7 http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-greg-little-jersey , 5.16) to face Cueto.

The third-year major-leaguer has struggled in his last nine starts, going 1-5, and is coming off his worst outing of the season when he allowed eight runs in 4 2/3 innings in an 11-4 home loss to Atlanta on Saturday.

Weaver has pitched well against the Giants in his career, going 1-1 with a 1.86 ERA in two starts, both of which were in San Francisco.

Interestingly, Weaver has allowed just one home run to a current member of the Giants, and that happens to be Madison Bumgarner, who is scheduled to pitch Sunday’s series finale against Jack Flaherty.

The Giants also expect to get Jeff Samardzija back from the disabled list during the series. He is slated to return from shoulder and pectoral soreness to start Saturday.

The Cardinals (44-41) and Giants (45-43) will open the series with nearly identical records. Both would be on the outside looking in had the playoffs begun Thursday.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos created more than $4 million in salary cap space by cutting a trio of veterans Monday, savings that could go toward a seasoned backup quarterback or middle linebacker should they seek to plug holes on their roster.The Broncos jettisoned sixth-year defensive lineman Zach Kerr, 10th-year outside linebacker Dekoda Watson and fifth-year returner/receiver Nick Williams .Kerr was due a $1.5 million salary this season with a cap hit of just over $2 million. Watson’s salary and cap hit were both $1.55 million and Williams recently signed a one-year, $805,000 contract that carried a cap hit of $645 Will Grier Jersey ,000.“Well, one thing was to give them an extra week ahead of the major cutdown to maybe, possibly hook on with another team,” coach Vic Fangio said when asked about Kerr and Watson, who were released in the morning. “And we felt good about the other guys at that position.”In particular, Fangio pointed out the play of DeShawn Williams and Mike Purcell on the D-line.Williams, a third-year pro, was a cut casualty a year ago in Denver, then spent the season competing on the practice squads in Denver, Miami and Indianapolis before re-signing with the Broncos in May.“That’s why I play every day the way I play because I know every day is not promised,” Williams said. “Look at Zach, and that kind of hurt walking in and seeing one of the fellow guys who has proven that he can play and he’s not here. (It) just got real. … So, I just want to make sure I play hard for Vic because he brought me in. He didn’t know me from a can of paint. And I just want to do everything I can for him.”The Broncos don’t plan to bring in roster replacements for the players they cut because http://www.pantherscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-christian-miller-jersey , Fangio said, “time’s not favorable for that,” with the preseason finale Thursday night and cuts coming Saturday.Injuries have impacted Denver’s plans for the 53-man roster. Inside linebacker Todd Davis , their leading tackler last season, tore a calf muscle on the first day of training camp and has yet to return to the field.“No, he won’t practice this week,” Fangio said. “He’s progressing, but not at the rate we had hoped.”Davis was originally expected to miss 3 to 4 weeks when he got hurt on July 18. His replacements have been OK, but nobody has really stood out, and Josey Jewell, the other starter, also was sidelined for a while.Three offensive players expected to make the team will be sidelined to start the season: fullback Andy Janovich, receiving running back Theo Riddick and rookie QB Drew Lock.Lock was on his way to securing the backup job behind starter Joe Flacco when he sprained the thumb on his right (throwing) hand last week Jordan Scarlett Jersey , and quarterbacks Kevin Hogan and rookie Brett Rypien had middling performances in a 10-6 preseason loss to the Rams last weekend.Asked if he had seen enough from Hogan or Rypien to name one of them the backup QB to start the season until Lock’s return, Fangio said he still needed to see some separation Thursday night when the Broncos face the Arizona Cardinals.“That remains to be seen,” Fangio said. “I’ve seen some good play. I’ve seen some not-so-good, so I don’t know the answer to that just yet.”Bringing in a veteran QB “is always an option,” Fangio said, “but as you see out there, there’s not a lot of them available.”Notes: Fangio was Stanford’s defensive coordinator in 2010 and got to know Andrew Luck well and he was “like everybody else, surprised” over his decision to retire after a series of injuries sapped his passion to play. “I can tell you this: he didn’t do it in a harsh, quick way. I’m sure he gave it a lot of thought.” … TE Jake Butt (knee) was held out of practice Monday after his first action since tearing his left ACL last season. … Fangio said RG Ron Leary (knee) is still trending toward being available for the season opener. … Fangio said that he’s not considering coaching from the press box, where he’s spent most of his career: “No, I’m not going to do that. But it is a better view up there.”