The San Francisco Giants arrive at the season's midpoint with a question hanging over them: are they the club that charmed fans early, or the one that has frustrated them lately? After 81 games, there is no firm answer, and the second half should settle it.
The early picture was bright. San Francisco opened 12-4 while Jung Hoo Lee was among the league's hottest hitters, and a standout pitching staff carried the team to 12 games over .500 at 41-29. Since that start, the Giants went 32-33, including losses in eight of their last 11 games before the break. They remain in the hunt, though they sit third in the National League West, 6.5 games behind the Dodgers after a 3-6 homestand.
Pitching has been the backbone. Logan Webb led the league in innings and ranked second in ERA and third in strikeouts, making him a near-certain All-Star. Robbie Ray was named pitcher of the month for May. In relief, Randy Rodriguez (0.77 ERA), Erik Miller (0.99), Tyler Rogers (1.69) and Camilo Doval (2.78) were dependable, and the bullpen's 2.86 ERA was the lowest in the majors. The Giants also won 19 one-run games, the most in baseball.
The offense is another story. The Giants rank in the bottom third of the majors in nearly every major category, including 22nd in homers and 25th in slugging percentage, yet they are 16th in runs. LaMonte Wade Jr. was hitting .167 when he was traded to Anaheim. Patrick Bailey is at .190, Lee has hit .199 in 42 games since May 7, and Tyler Fitzgerald hit .127 in June before a demotion to Triple-A. Willy Adames, who signed for $182 million, hit .215 with a team-high 90 strikeouts. Heliot Ramos has been the bright spot, leading the team in homers, average, on-base percentage and slugging, and Casey Schmitt was hitting .375 before a pitch struck his left wrist Wednesday.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey earns high marks in this assessment. He reshaped the roster on June 4, bringing in Dom Smith to replace Wade, and the team won seven straight. He then stunned the sport by acquiring Rafael Devers from the Red Sox in a 4-for-1 deal that cost the Giants Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison. Hiring Zack Minasian and Randy Winn, along with his preference for lineup stability over openers and heavy platooning, has also been well received.
The report card: bullpen A, rotation B, defense B, offense D-minus, manager Bob Melvin B-plus, for an overall B. That is a clear step up from three straight seasons hovering near .500.
The schedule offers a chance to recover. The Giants head to the south side of Chicago, Arizona and Sacramento before returning home for series against the Phillies and Dodgers. The All-Star Game in Atlanta follows, with Webb a strong candidate and Ray and several relievers possible as well. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge, 20, will miss the Futures Game with a pulled hamstring, and the Giants hold the 13th pick in the draft, Posey's first in charge.
The July 31 trade deadline looms. San Francisco could use another bat, more pitching and bullpen depth. Run production is the most urgent issue: the team went 10-for-68 (.147) with runners in scoring position on the last homestand. Chapman is due back before the break, and Devers is expected to help, but the rotation behind Webb and Ray is unsettled. Landen Roupp has a 3.67 ERA, Hayden Birdsong carries a 5.40 ERA in seven starts, and Justin Verlander has yet to win. For now, the Giants need to rediscover the team that started 12-4.
Posey's trade for Devers told the clubhouse and the rest of the league that the Giants intend to go for it. The next 81 games will show whether the roster can match that ambition.
