Just 11 days ago, the San Francisco Giants season looked completely over. Coming off a 10-2 loss to their instate rival Los Angeles Dodgers, the Giants record fell to 19-25. For a team who spend the 2nd most money in the MLB this offseason and acquired a new manager in veteran skipper Bob Melvin, the wheels looked to be coming off.
The San Francisco Giants, to this point, were ravaged by injuries, with seven of their nine starters on opening day being placed in the IL. They had no choice but to call up a few of their young prospects in Triple-A. The Giants have gone 8-2 since. These young guys have brought energy to the club and flipped the season around.
Youth Leading The Way
A couple of weeks ago, the San Francisco Giants called up Luis Matos, Marco Luciano, and Heliot Ramos from Triple-A. San Francisco needed a jolt of energy. Almost immediately, these three are among the best hitters in the Giants lineup.
Each of them was giving short stints with the Giants in the Major Leagues last season, but there were growing pains for all three that resulted in them being sent back down. Granted, it has been a small sample size so far this year, but to this point, they are the biggest reason for the Giants going from 19-25 to 27-27.
The Giants may not have thought these guys were ready for the big leagues yet, but injuries forced their hand. So far, these young Giants have stepped up to the plate and delivered.
San Francisco Giants Back To .500
The San Francisco Giants, who were 19-25 11 days ago, have clawed there was back to .500 and tied for the last NL Wild Card spot. During this stretch the Giants have had series wins against the Rockies, Pirates, and Mets.
The Giants have shown a lot of fight. They became the first team since 1932 to win three straight games while being down four runs in the 8th inning or later.
While the young guys have been doing their part, the Giants have been getting contributions from others as well. Free agent signing Matt Chapman has finally got it going this season with his bat and his glove. He had one of the best game-ending plays in the Giant’s 7-6 win over the Mets on Friday night.
Lamonte Wade, aka Late Night Lamonte, has been the Giants’ most consistent and clutch hitter all season. Jorge Soler looks to be getting out of a midseason slump and has had some very timely hits during the road trip. The pitching staff led by Logan Webb and Jordan Hicks has been rock solid as well. The Giant’s big free-agent signings are starting to pay off in a big way.
Big Tests Ahead For Giants
While the San Francisco Giants have been red hot, they have been beating up on mediocre teams. That will not be the case this week when the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees come into Oracle Park.
The Phillies have the best record in the MLB at 38-16. Philly had a 4 game sweep over the Giants in early May and will be looking to keep that trend going in San Francisco. The Phillies will be in town for 3 games.
Then over the weekend, the Giants will welcome in the New York Yankees. The Yankees have the 2nd most wins in the MLB and boast a 37-18 record. If the San Francisco Giants want to really prove they are for real, they need to have a good showing on this home stand.
About the Author
Cory is an Oregon Duck alumni from the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been playing, watching, and following basketball + baseball his whole life. Follow Cory on X @cory_pappas1 for more breaking stories and game previews.
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