SF Giants: Storylines to watch in the second half
The All-Star break is an abbreviated one for the Giants, who are one of eight teams that open the second half on Thursday, rather than Friday, with a four-game set with the Dodgers. Playing the first games at Dodger Stadium since the midsummer classic, they could use whatever pixie dust Julio Rodríguez left lying around if they’re going to catch the Dodgers, who sit 12.5 games ahead in the standings.
The Giants likely played themselves out of the division race in a three-week span from June 19-July 8. During that stretch, they went 4-14 while the Dodgers went 15-5, turning a 3.0-game differential into a double-digit deficit. However, the Giants are well within striking distance of the National League wild card, thanks to a 7-2 run to end the first half.
With an additional playoff spot this season, the Giants are primarily battling Atlanta (56-38, +6.5 games), San Diego (52-42, +2.5 games), Philadelphia (49-43, +0.5 games) and St. Louis (50-44, +0.5 games) for three wild card bids. In a new postseason format this season, the three wild card teams and the lowest-seeded division winner will face off in a three-game series to begin the playoffs.
Buy or sell
If there was a question whether the Giants would be buyers or sellers at the Aug. 2 trade deadline, they answered it with their play over the week entering the All-Star break.
When president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi met with reporters last Wednesday for a midseason rundown, he said that he would “take it personally” for the Giants to be considered sellers but that he also needed to see “internal improvements” before considering any substantial external additions. Consider that accomplished after the club went on to take three of four from the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers following those comments to pull itself within half a game of playoff position.
If the Giants are firmly situated as buyers, the question then turns to what degree. Could they make a run at Juan Soto, the Nationals’ 23-year-old megastar who appears more likely to be dealt with each passing day? That’s an investment in the present and future — Soto is team-controlled through 2025, even without signing an extension (he reportedly turned down a 15-year, $440 million offer from Washington) — but would cost a fortune in prospects and money.
Perhaps Zaidi is more content to nibble around the edges — a bullpen arm here, some position player depth there — with a roster that he feels hasn’t played up to its potential.
Is Brandon Belt fixed? What about Joey Bart?
The Giants’ two biggest downgrades in their lineup from last season have come at first base and catcher, but each showed signs of improvement in the days leading up to the All-Star break.
In his final seven games before the break, Brandon Belt came to the plate 23 times and reached base in 13 of those opportunities, including three that ended right back where they started. The batting line — .524/.565/1.048 (a 1.613 OPS) — was the apparent result of some adjustments made with hitting coach Justin Viele in San Diego.
A more significant set of adjustments is already paying off for Joey Bart, too.
Since returning from a month at Triple-A with a reworked swing, Bart has batted .276/.344/.552 (an .896 OPS), including extra-base hits in three of his final five games before the All-Star break. The club and Bart himself, however, admit it is a work in progress, with still 12 strikeouts in 29 at-bats.
How does the bullpen hold up?
One result of a shortened spring training and Gabe Kapler’s overall managerial tendencies has been a reliance on the bullpen. Until May 30, Giants pitchers had thrown 100 pitches in three starts. They were all Carlos Rodón. Even now, after 91 games, Giants starters have completed six innings in 35 of them.
As a team, the Giants haven’t relied on their relievers in any disproportionate amount. They’ve gotten 352⅔ innings from their bullpen, which ranks 11th in MLB. However, no team turns to the same selection of arms as frequently as the Giants. Three relievers rank in the top 20 of appearances, more than any other team.
With 43 games, right-hander John Brebbia has appeared in as many contests as any reliever in the majors. Tyler Rogers is tied for seventh, with 41 appearances. And Camilo Doval is right behind, at 40, tied for 11th.
Of the 10 teams to use their bullpen more frequently, seven have lower ERAs than the Giants’ 4.19 mark (another point of regression from last season, when the group led the majors with a 2.99 ERA).
Options limit
Under the new collective bargaining agreement, players can only be optioned five times per season before they must pass through waivers, giving the Giants one more consideration in their merry-go-round of roster moves in the second half.
Here are the players on the 40-man closest to reaching their limit this season, with their number of options used since May 2 (when the new rule took effect):
- IF Donovan Walton: 4
- RHP Yunior Marte: 3
- RHP Sean Hjelle: 3
- RHP Mauricio Llovera: 3
- IF Jason Vosler: 3
Trophy watch
Giants players could conceivably receive votes for at least two awards at the end of this season. A dominant second half from Carlos Rodón or Logan Webb could place either in the middle of the National League Cy Young race, while Luis González figures to find a place in the discussion for Rookie of the Year if he repeats his first half.
González has already bagged one honor this season, as the NL Rookie of the Month for May. Coming out of the All-Star break, FanDuel gives González the 13th-best odds (+8,500) for NL ROY. Leading the race, according to FanDuel, are Atlanta’s Spencer Strider (+170) and Michael Harris (+200), followed by the Pirates’ Oneil Cruz (+950) and the Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki (+1,400).
Rodón and Webb were already slighted when All-Star selections were announced, but each has better odds at the Cy Young than González’s for Rookie of the Year, according to DraftKings. Oddsmakers give Rodón (+1,900) the seventh-best odds among NL pitchers, while Webb (+7,000) ranks 11th.