Locked On Giants – Daily Podcast On The San Francisco Giants

Even though the San Francisco Giants are all but eliminated from playoff contention, last night's win over the Padres felt like it meant something. For one thing, the SF Giants and Padres entered the game tied in the standings. For another, it took a two-out, two-run hit from Michael Conforto to finally get the Giants on the board and overcome a 1-0 deficit. Finally, it meant something that SF Giants ace Logan Webb was absolutely dominant en route to his second complete game of the season. Even though the game meant something, Webb wasn't satisfied afterwards. He had some harsh words about the team's clubhouse culture, stating to The Athletic's Andrew Baggarly and others: "I'm tired of losing. It's not fun. We've got to make some big changes in here to create that winning culture." Apparently, the Giants don't seem too upset after losses. And several players seem more interested in a card game than studying the opposing pitcher who's likely to dominate them that night. One player even spoke anonymously and said that the team's decision to play music after losses was unprecedented around the league. This all falls on the players, but also on manager Gabe Kapler and his staff. Webb's Cy Young candidacy is discussed. It was a great matchup last night with Webb vs. Blake Snell. Both were excellent, and Snell is likely to win the award thanks to a low-2.00s ERA. But Webb should probably be in the top three thanks to the fact that he leads MLB in innings, he's prevented runs at a terrific rate, and his walk rate and ground ball rate are both the bets in the NL (and his ground ball rate is best in all of MLB by a huge margin). Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' season is all but over. Losing three of four in LA sealed the Giants' fate, even if they're not technically eliminated just yet. The 2023 Giants season certainly had its positives, but the negatives will stand out more. According to a report in The Athletic, the SF Giants may have damaged their reputation this year by quickly moving pitchers Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, and Alex Wood to the bullpen after early struggles, and benching or platooning high-paid players like Mitch Haniger. While there is probably some truth to the Giants' damaged reputation, it shouldn't stem from those examples. All of those players played their way into their roles, with the one exception being Manaea, who probably deserved to go back into the rotation much earlier than the last couple of weeks. Manaea has quietly been very effective for four months, mostly in a "bulk innings" role out of the 'pen. Losing director of pitching Brian Bannister could harm the Giants as well, and could be part of a much larger shakeup with the coaching staff after this failed season. But things weren't all bad this year for the San Francisco Giants. Rookies Patrick Bailey, Luis Matos, Marco Luciano, Kyle Harrison, Tristan Beck, Keaton Winn, Ryan Walker, Blake Sabol, and others were all imperfect in their own ways, but all provided promise for the future. Among them, several look like long-term major leaguers, and there may even be a star or two among their ranks. Find and follow Locked On Giants:

At least we have Kyle Harrison. The San Francisco Giants' road incompetence reached historic proportions after dropping Thursday night's game in LA, but a trio of young Giants did provide a spark. Harrison was really good over 5.1 innings, allowing just two runs against an extremely potent Dodgers lineup. The quality of Harrison's stuff was good, and he was pitching through an illness. On the offensive side, Marco Luciano and Tyler Fitzgerald each drew a walk and had a hit. For Fitzgerald, it was his first hit in MLB. Luciano had some hits in his first stint with the SF Giants, and sending him down was an unpopular move. It's a shame Giants fans didn't get a longer look at Luciano, particularly given how this season seems certain to end up—with no playoffs. Again. Alas, the SF Giants' road woes have reached historic levels. Their 5-26 record in their last 31 road games is the worst 31-game road stretch for the Giants franchise since 1902. If the Giants had merely been as bad as the next worst teams, they'd be tied for a playoff spot. If they'd been 10-21, they'd be in the second wild card spot. If they'd been 15-16, they'd be the No. 1 wild card team by two games. But instead, they were historically awful, and someone should have to take the fall for this Giants team's collapse (both on the road and at the plate in the second half). Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' playoff hopes are almost certainly over. So it's not at all surprising that today, the SF Giants announced a flurry of future-oriented moves. The Giants recalled Marco Luciano and Tristan Beck from Triple-A. They selected the contract of Tyler Fitzgerald and added him to the MLB roster. Sean Hjelle was optioned. Brandon Crawford was placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain, and Paul DeJong was placed on unconditional release waivers. Hopefully the Giants give long looks to Luciano in particular, but also Fitzgerald. And give Tristan Beck, along with Kyle Harrison, chances to start games. SF Giants fans are sick and tired of the timid approach the Giants have taken with some of their young players. Watching them get jerked around back and forth between Triple-A and the Majors. Watching them get 12 plate appearances and then get sent down. Seeing them get pinch-hit for in the MLB debut when everyone in the ballpark wanted to see that player hit. It's time for all of that to stop. Brandon Crawford may have played his last game as a Giant. He's eligible to come off the IL on the last day of the season, however, so even if he's injured he should be activated and get to walk off the field for perhaps the final time. The SF Giants failed miserably by not giving a proper sendoff to Brandon Belt in what clearly could've been (and ended up being) his last game as a Giant. Lastly, Tom Verducci's article in which he calls the SF Giants baseball's "most boring contender" is discussed. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

When all was said and done, the San Francisco Giants simply withered away amidst the Arizona heat. The D-backs plunged venom into the now nearly hopeless SF Giants, who could be as many as four games back with 10 games remaining after these two losses. Who's to blame for what went wrong for the Giants this year? It really starts all the way at the top and comes all the way down to the bottom. Ownership deserves blame. Farhan Zaidi and his staff deserve blame. The coaching staff. Gabe Kapler. The players. They all deserve blame for this unacceptable season. An offensive collapse around the halfway point of the season and a 5-25 road record in their last 30 road games seem to have done the Giants in. So ... what's to come for this proud franchise? Change is likely. At the very least, a shakeup among the coaching staff seems like an inevitability. Kapler could be on the hot seat. Zaidi as well. Even if both remain next year, they'll enter the year under serious fire. Mostly none of the SF Giants' main offseason targets ended up panning out. Mitch Haniger was a total no-show, and Michael Conforto did very little. Ross Stripling was very bad from the very beginning. It's time for soul searching and a correction of course from the San Francisco Giants and it must start now. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' season is one the line tonight in Arizona. But before tonight's game gets underway, the Giants have a lot of scoreboard watching to do. Last night, the Reds and Phillies won and the Marlins lost, leaving the SF Giants with essentially no shot of catching Philadelphia, but still just two games out of a playoff spot. The remaining schedules for the Cubs, Reds, Marlins, and D-backs are discussed. Since the SF Giants find themselves two games back with three teams they must pass, these other teams' games are equally important as their own. There is a small opening that the Giants hope they can push through, but they'll need some help, and they'll need to take care of business in the desert. The Giants and D-backs begin a critical two-game series tonight, with marquee pitching matchups in both games. Tonight it'll be ace Zac Gallen against the ailing Alex Cobb (left hip impingement). Tomorrow, the Giants will feature their ace Logan Webb against SF Giants nemesis Merrill Kelly. If the SF Giants can somehow manage to win both games, it could propel them back into the wild card race. If they split, they'll still have a faint pulse and will hold the tiebreaker over AZ. Two losses would probably effective end the Giants' season. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Was losing three of four to the Rockies the San Francisco Giants' kiss of death? It very well may have been. The Giants were no-hit into the ninth inning of game one, but were still in position to win in the bottom of the ninth. Camilo Doval, however, allowed two runs to score and the SF Giants lost a heartbreaker. Then the Giants were swept in a doubleheader, before finally winning the finale. Even then, the Giants held a 9-0 lead in the middle innings but barely hung on to survive an 11-10 win. Nothing comes easily with this team! The San Francisco Giants find themselves 2.0 games out of a playoff spot with just 12 games remaining. They must pass three teams in order to claim the third and final wild card spot. Their abysmal road record since July 18, 4-23, entering Sunday is a huge reason why the Giants are where they are. If they could've just gone 10-17—which is bad, just not atrocious—they would be the No. 1 wild card team. It's truly been a season of extreme highs and lows for the SF Giants. So ... what must the Giants do to make the playoffs? Simply put, they need to win a lot of games. It looks like it will take, at minimum, 84 wins to sneak in as the last wild card team. That would mean the Giants need to finish 8-4—not an easy task considering seven of their remaining 12 games are against the Dodgers, including four on the road. If the SF Giants can win both of their upcoming games in Arizona, that would make things a lot easier. So one game at a time. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The NL wild card race is living up to its name. The San Francisco Giants find themselves in the thick of a wild race to the finish, and despite getting rained out yesterday, the Giants had a great day. The D-backs, Reds, and Marlins all lost, which pushed the SF Giants into a virtual tie for the third and final wild card spot. However, the Giants' winning percentage is slightly higher than the teams they're "tied" with (AZ and CIN have played two more games and are 1-1 in them). The Giants also have important tiebreaker advantages. If they were to tie with the Reds, the Giants would win outright without playing a Game 163. The SF Giants only need to win one of their two remaining games against the D-backs to win that season series. The Giants and Marlins split their season series, and the next tiebreaker is intradivision record, which is also an advantage for the Giants. So their playoff odds are certainly on the rise and things would be looking good even in the event of an eventual tie. Giants chairman Greg Johnson made comments that he firmly stood behind Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler. There had recently been some rumbling about discontent among ownership, particularly with Kapler, and that firings could be made if the team fails to reach the playoffs. But Johnson put that idea to rest, stating that both would be back in 2024. Luis Matos survived a roster crunch as Michael Conforto was activated. Matos has really been playing well, and so it was infielder Casey Schmitt who was optioned even though Conforto is an outfielder. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' 2023 season has been a wild roller coaster ride. The Giants struggled at first, then became red hot, then became ice cold, and now, in the last six days, they've been hot again. With 16 SF Giants games remaining in the regular season, fans have questions: Daniel: Taking a more balanced question here, a rose and a thorn. What is your rose for the season, something positive to take away no matter what happens, and a negative thorn, again no matter what happens (even if the Giants go on to make a deep playoff run somehow)? DP: Who is worthy of keeping on the offense for next year? LaMonte Wade Jr., J.D. Davis, Austin Slater, and Mike Yastrzemski (injuries) had very good first halves but have disappeared in the last few months. Joc Pederson and Brandon Crawford can't come back. Juan: Kind of far away but how many guys do you see getting non tendered at the end of the year? Yaz? JD? Vinnie: You are now King. What three moves would you make to make the SF Giants more competitive in 2024? Kyle: Where is the on-field leadership? Brian: Why does ownership love Farhan Zaidi and Kapler Gabe Kapler, and this uninspired and boring brand of baseball that the majority of the fans can't stand? Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Just when you're ready to count them out, the 2023 San Francisco Giants have a way of making you believe again. That was certainly the case today, as the Giants looked all but certain to lose as the innings ticked away with the SF Giants facing a large deficit. But down three in the eighth, J.D. Davis delivered perhaps his biggest hit as a Giant with a three-run homer that tied the game and set the Oracle Park crowd into a frenzy. So many players and managerial moves contributed to the SF Giants' wild and improbable win. Alex Wood pitched four excellent innings following a not-so-good outing by Kyle Harrison that kept the Giants within striking distance. Giants manager Gabe Kapler used Tyler Rogers, not Camilo Doval, in the ninth to have the strikeout-heavy Doval available for extra innings and it paid off in a big way. There were so many pinch hitters, including LaMonte Wade Jr., who went 2 for 2 and had the walk-off sac fly. The SF Giants' defense has been a topic of conversation lately, as they passed their error total from last year, which was a miserable year defensively. But anyone who watched last year and has watched this year should be able to tell that this year's team has been vastly better defensively. Two great examples of why errors stink as a measure of defense: Nick Castellanos is so clearly a bad defender, yet he hasn't made an error since 2021. Patrick Bailey, meanwhile, who may be the best defender in MLB, has the second-most errors on the Giants (and 10% of their errors overall). Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' never-give-up attitude, echoing their 2021 107-win team's slogan, was on full display during their recent must-win games. Even after a hiccup from Brandon Crawford led to two runs, the Giants charged back immediately, and ultimately achieved victory with Blake Sabol and LaMonte Wade Jr. shining as the 10th-inning heroes. The playoff race remains tense: had the Giants won and Arizona lost, they'd be just 0.5 games behind. But with Arizona's clutch triumph, the Giants' victory was crucial to stay only 1.5 games back, with a tense 18 games left. Meanwhile, drama ensues off the field. Alex Cobb's gritty performance, despite battling a left hip impingement, was commendable. Concurrently, Ross Stripling's allegations about being placed on the "phantom IL" stirs controversy, casting doubts over his future with the Giants. As the saga unfolds, Sean Manaea's return to the starting rotation tonight after a long hiatus since May 10 adds another layer of excitement. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

In a season rife with unexpected turns, the San Francisco Giants may have caught fire at just the right moment. Their recent sweep over the Rockies has not just been a win on the scoreboard, but a beacon of hope for the playoffs. As momentum builds, fans and analysts alike will be following the Giants' final 19 games closely. One name gaining traction is rookie starter Keaton Winn. His Sunday performance, highlighted by nine strikeouts, raises questions: could this newcomer find a regular place amidst the Giants' rotation? While it's early days, the buzz is undeniable. But every success story has its unsung heroes, and whispers around the dugout suggest a pivotal team meeting may have played a role. Led by President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi, the gathering seems to have made an impact. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' 2023 season is at a pivotal moment, igniting passionate queries about their trajectory. From decisions by Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler to player performances, the SF Giants' every move is under the microscope. Doubts about coaching strategies and looming roster decisions are in the forefront. Fans are divided: can the Giants secure a playoff spot or will they fall short again? With so much at stake, loyal Giants supporters remain invested, hoping for a turnabout as the end of the season looms. Their burning questions echo the sentiment: What's next for the Giants? Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants are completely unwatchable right now. Despite holding a strong position just a week ago, the SF Giants found a way to almost completely squander it by going 0-6 after winning the first game of their seven-game road trip. Now the Giants find themselves on the outside looking in, 2.5 games out of a playoff spot (with three teams ahead of them that they must pass) with just 22 games remaining. None of the four teams in this melee for the final spot has particularly great odds, but collectively one is almost certain to make it. The Giants' playoff odds, per FanGraphs, are about 21%. Overall, the SF Giants have been the very definition of "mid" since the start of the 2022 season. After going 81-81 last year, and falling to 70-70 this year after their six-game losing streak, they're obviously 151-151 over their last 302 games. But wait, there's more! The Giants have scored exactly 1310 runs and allowed 1310 runs over this span! Again: the San Francisco Giants have been the definition of "mid" for over 300 games... With that being said, what happens if the likely scenario plays out and the Giants miss the playoffs. Well, certainly something needs to/should happen. Giants chairman Greg Johnson has already indicated that Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler will be back. Perhaps he could change his mind if this collapse continues. But on the coaching staff, it looks like the SF Giants really need to evaluate if their current group could be improved upon. The team simply hasn't been the same since Donnie Ecker left for Texas. The SF Giants hit very well under Ecker in both 2020 and 2021, and they've been below-average offensively since he left. If the current group isn't the best possible group, then they need to make changes. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' offensive collapse since late June has been historic and profound. At about the midway point of the season, Giants position players were riding high. Players like J.D. Davis and LaMonte Wade Jr. looked deserving of being All-Stars. Joc Pederson was mashing as usual. Pretty much the whole position player mix was rolling—and then every came to a screeching halt. With the exception of Wilmer Flores, somewhat hilariously, the SF Giants' offense has been atrocious pretty much across the board. Has pitching and defense played a role in the collapse? Not really, as the Giants' ERA has been about the same throughout the whole season in terms of where it ranks. They're about 10th overall, 10th through June 24, and 10th after June 25. And the SF Giants' defense has actually been a somewhat surprising positive for a team that was awful defensively last year. The Giants' playoffs odds haven't been this low since early-ish May. FanGraphs estimates the Giants' playoff odds at around 36%. The bad news is that they were as high as 67% just four days ago(!). The good news is absolutely no one would be surprised to see a hitter with a .360 batting average get a hit in a random at-bat, and that's what we're talking about here. Only 24 games remain, and the Giants must start playing better right here, right now. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' offense has been just awful. Awful! For about roughly the last 38% of the season. What's insane is that the SF Giants were one of the top offensive teams in MLB through their first 77 games, or 47.5% of the season. The Giants were, not that long ago, 14 games over .500. If they simply could've played .500 ball the rest of the way, they'd be sitting pretty. But it's hard to play .500 ball when you're last in AVG, OBP, and SLG (by 50 points!) for nearly 40% of the season. The Giants' abysmal offense has put the pitchers in an impossible position. Just today, when Logan Webb allowed a solo home run in the first few innings, the game basically felt out of reach. That's how bad this slump has been for the San Francisco Giants' offense. Alex Cobb, Tristan Beck, and Kyle Harrison had rough starts in San Diego as the Padres looked like the good version of themselves against the Giants after falling flat consistently all season long. Of course! There are only 24 games left on the schedule, and suddenly the Giants find themselves facing an uphill battle. They'll end the day at best half a game behind Miami for the third wild card spot, and more likely they'll be a full game back of Arizona and Cincinnati AND a half game back of Miami. The Giants' playoff odds have likely not been lower since prior to their 10-game win streak in mid-June. It's become do or die time for the SF Giants, and there's no time to waste. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Perhaps Locked On Padres host Javier Reyes was right. The San Francisco Giants outplayed the Padres in every way last night, and Reyes had said just the day before that the soul had been sucked out of the San Diego squad. The SF Giants entered last night's game with just 29 games remaining on their schedule, and clinging to a half-game lead over the NL's final wild card spot. With the emphatic 7-2 win, the Giants gained a half game on the idle D-backs to establish a one-game lead with 28 games to play. In Part 2 of this conversation between Locked On Giants and Locked On Padres, Ben Kaspick and Reyes try to pinpoint what exactly has gone wrong for the Padres this season. Speculation abounds, but so does their abysmal record in one run games and astonishing 0-11 record in extra innings. Perhaps bad luck is a significant part of the Padres' collapse thus far, but there seem to be deeper issues that are explored. In contrast, the SF Giants, while far from perfect, seem to be sort of the anti-Padres. The Giants are not loaded with stars, but they play for each other, seem to have a great culture from top to bottom, and they consistently outperform expectations. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

There are only 29 games remaining on the San Francisco Giants' schedule. That means that this four-game series the Giants are about to play against the star-studded Padres in San Diego accounts for 13.8% of their remaining schedule. In other words—every series, including this one, in huge from here on out. Locked On Padres host Javier Reyes joins the show and believes the Padres are toast, but they're still an extremely dangerous team and what the SF Giants cannot take lightly. What has made the Giants, who have far less talent than the Padres on paper, the better team from a record perspective? First and foremost, the infusion of young talent has seemed to provide a boost for the Giants both on the field and in the clubhouse. Patrick Bailey has emerged as arguably the best defensive catcher in baseball, and even arguably the best defender—period—in baseball. Just recently, the SF Giants' top prospect Kyle Harrison has provided a major spark that his implications down the stretch, potentially in the postseason, and for many years to come. All of that has energized the SF Giants and their fans. Meanwhile, what is wrong with the Padres? Is there a lack of cohesion? Is the lack of homegrown talent an issue? Is it simply a matter of their dreadful performance in one-run games and extra innings? Whatever it is, the Padres need to get red hot and it needs to start right now against the San Francisco Giants. There's no getting around it: this is a huge series for both the Giants and Padres that's about to get underway tonight in San Diego. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Alex Cobb certainly gave San Francisco Giants fans a thrill. Cobb was just one out away from no-hitting the Cincinnati Reds, but unfortunately he gave up a hit to Spencer Steer that spoiled the party. However, manager Gabe Kapler allowed Cobb to finish the game (with a pitch count of 130) and Cobb picked up a complete game for the SF Giants. While the no-hitter story line was certainly a blast, there were larger implications. First and foremost, the Giants needed a win and they got it. The SF Giants are in the middle of a closely contested playoff race, and every single win matters from here on out. There are only 30 games remaining. Secondly, Cobb's excellence bodes extremely well for the Giants' rotation, particularly if they find themselves in the postseason. All of a sudden, Logan Webb, Kyle. Harrison, and Cobb look like a potentially deep and fearsome trio in a postseason series. Mitch Haniger was finally activated off the IL. Heliot Ramos was optioned and Bryce Johnson was DFA'd to clear a spot. None of these moves was particularly earth-shattering, even though it's known that Ramos and Johnson have their fans among the Giants faithful. In other news, the Angels made a wild series of moves, placing Lucas Giolito and a handful of other solid players on waivers. The Giants are among any team that could claim these players, and we'll find out soon enough if they do. Waiver priority is based on winning percentage in reverse. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

How's that for a first impression in front of the home crowd? San Francisco Giants 22-year-old lefty Kyle Harrison absolutely dominated the Cincinnati Reds in a pivotal game in front of a frenzied crowd at Oracle Park last night. Harrison struck out 11 batters in 6.1 innings, walking only two and allowing zero runs. His fastball was basically unhittable, even in the middle of the strike zone, and it's clear that it's a very special pitch. Harrison was also effective with his slider and his changeup. The story of the 2023 Giants has been all about the infusion of youth. Patrick Bailey's emergence as perhaps the best defensive catcher—and perhaps the best defender in baseball, period—has been an enormous leap forward for the organization. But if Kyle Harrison continues to pitch anything like he's pitched in these first two games, the SF Giants might just have another young star on their hands. The Giants have also gotten contributions from young players such as Luis Matos, Wade Meckler, Ryan Walker, Casey Schmitt, and others. Lost in all the buzz about Harrison, this was a huge game for the San Francisco Giants. And in the very first inning, their offensive woes showed up again. They scored a quick run, but failed to score more after having runners on second and third with nobody out. J.D. Davis and Paul DeJong struck out on middle-middle fastballs in sac fly situations. However, in the third inning, Davis roped a single off that same pitcher, and DeJong came up in another sac fly situation and got the job done. So there was some much-needed redemption and positive reinforcement for the offense as the stretch run begins. The Giants are 0.5 games out of a playoff spot with just 31 games remaining. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants desperately needed a spark. The Giants had already secured their seventh straight series loss with their first two losses to Atlanta, and were on the verge of being swept if they lost again on Sunday. Instead, in part because of a pregame team meeting led by Thairo Estrada, the SF Giants played one of their best and most complete games, on Sunday Night Baseball, and defeated the MLB-best Braves. Tristan Beck threw four perfect innings to begin his first MLB start, though things unraveled for him in the fifth. The Giants also completed one of the most entertaining double plays in recent memory, as they went 3-1-4-2, a rare combination that hasn't been done in at least 60+ years. We told you Austin Slater wasn't cooked! Slater continued to stay hot, and helped carry the Giants to victory. Recently, Slater revealed that Giants manager Gabe Kapler told him, "You could go 0 for your next 40 and I'd still use you as a pinch hitter against the lefty in the playoffs." Kapler is right to not lose trust in a player based on 30 or 40 poor played appearances. The same can be said of Camilo Duval, who shook off recent struggles to pitch to clean 1-2-3 9th with two strikeouts to secure the San Francisco Giants' win over Atlanta. Mike Yastrzemski and Mitch Haniger are nearing their returns to the SF Giants. Both may be activated as soon as this upcoming series against the Reds. Michael Conforto, on the other hand, went on the IL with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. Heliot Ramos was recalled John Brebbia is nearing a rehab assignment. Johan Camargo and Luis González cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento. Now the Giants take on the Cincinnati Reds in an enormous series. Both teams are 1.5 games back of the NL's final wild card spot. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants' 2023 season has largely been defined by an influx of young talent. Not all SF Giants rookies have performed all that well, so it can take some time to sort through which ones likely have staying power and which ones may not. Among the Giants' rookies to debut this year, Patrick Bailey has already established himself as one of the game's best catchers. Kyle Harrison just made his major league debut, and his stuff was so impressive that it's easy to see him anchoring the rotation for years to come. Ryan Walker has been really good out of the 'pen. Other Giants rookies like Luis Matos and Casey Schmitt have had more struggles, but it's still easy to believe in their futures (though Schmitt has a lot to work on at the plate). Wade Meckler is also in the conversation of SF Giants rookies with a good chance of being mainstays. Should the Giants extend Paul DeJong? Brandon Crawford is a free agent after the season and frankly has been bad this year, especially offensively. DeJong is 6.5 years younger, a strong defender at short, and a competent bat capable of hitting 15-20 homers a season. He absolutely makes sense as an extension candidate (probably no more than one year, however). Will the SF Giants make the playoffs this year? If so, how deep of a run could they make with this pitching staff? Which are the best Giants uniforms? How does Shohei Ohtani's injury affect the odds of the SF Giants pursuing him in the offseason? Will Alex Cobb's $10M option be picked up for next year. All that and more on this mailbag edition of Locked On Giants! Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Everybody exhale. The San Francisco Giants sure don't make things easy on themselves or their fans, and yesterday was certainly no exception. The Giants looked to be cruising their way to a nice getaway day win over the Phillies—until Giants closer Camilo Doval melted down for the second straight night. Walk, walk, homer and suddenly a 5-2 lead was erased before an out had been recorded. But the SF Giants held the line after that and fought hard to put up three runs in the 10th and held on for what was arguably their biggest win of the season. Paul DeJong sure knows how to make a good first impression. He hit a booming home run early in the game. He made a sterling defensive play later on. His two-run single against Craig Kimbrel in the 10th may have been the biggest hit of the entire game, and it came in an 0-2 count. DeJong wasn't a perfect fit for the Giants when Brandon Crawford was healthy, but with Crawford on the shelf and continuing to play poorly when he's on the field, DeJong is the right player at the right time for the SF Giants. It somehow gives this Locked On Giants host Cody Ross vibes, and the parallels are eerily similar. Austin Slater and Wade Meckler had major redemption games. Many fans have been clamoring for the Giants to make a move with Slater, who's been in a horrible slump for about a month. And fans were also upset when Heliot Ramos, not Meckler, was optioned the other day. But Giants manager has continued to show faith in both, and that faith was rewarded in the win. Slater added a huge insurance run with a bloop pinch-hit single and he made a game-saving catch at the wall in the ninth. Meckler had two hits, a walk, a hit-by-pitch, made an impact on the bases, and also made a game-saving catch in the ninth. When will we ever collectively learn that small samples in baseball (and yes, even a month is a very small sample) aren't to be taken too seriously? Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

San Francisco Giants top pitching prospect Kyle Harrison was as advertised in his MLB debut against the Phillies. Harrison showed why many scouts believe he has the potential to be a frontline starter for the Giants. His fastball was electric and overpowering. He pounded the zone with strikes. No, Harrison didn't have a perfect outing, but he showed very quickly that he is one of the SF Giants' best pitchers and someone who could be a major factor for years to come. But in the ninth inning, with the Giants holding onto a one-run lead, Camilo Doval gave up two runs and the Giants lost in walk-off fashion. Doval threw only one slider out of 19 pitches in the outing. Doval seemingly had Trea Turner completely set up for a slider away, which coudl've resulted in a strikeout, but he kept throwing sinkers in. Gabe Kapler said after the game that Doval needs to trust Patrick Bailey more and implied that Doval was shaking off calls for the slider. Paul DeJong was added to the roster and is active and in the lineup at shortstop today. To make room on the roster, the Giants somewhat surprisingly DFA'd Johan Camargo, who did a decent job in his brief stint in San Francisco. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Paul DeJong, you are the San Francisco Giants' starting shortstop. In perhaps the most logical and obvious move the Giants have made in years, the SF Giants have signed DeJong to a major league contract after he was recently DFA'd by the Blue Jays. The Jays traded for DeJong mere weeks ago, but he struggled so badly that they let him go. After clearing waivers, the Giants were able to sign DeJong for just a prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary (around $180,000). It's a very worthwhile investment since Brandon Crawford is on the IL and DeJong is a plus defender at short with a track record of being a decent hitter with power. He is, at the very least, a major-league caliber player. He also has club options for the next two seasons. DeJong is a significant story, but nothing trumps the fact that Kyle Harrison will make his MLB debut today. Harrison struggles with command at times, and a debut on the road in front of hostile fans could be a recipe for nerves and poor command. But if he's pumping strikes, Harrison has a chance to be special. Even if he struggles today, don't worry too much. The kid has a sky-high ceiling and could help get the SF Giants into October and perhaps play well in the playoffs. The less said about yesterday's ugly loss the better. The Giants had Aaron Nola on the ropes in the first inning, but Johan Camargo hit into a double play with the bases loaded. It was pretty much all downhill from there. The SF Giants' defense was atrocious, with Wade Meckler making a couple of really bad plays. But let's not be too rough on a young player with just a handful of days in the big leagues. Growing pains are to be expected. But the Giants need to start winning some games, as their playoff position and odds are slipping after an extended period of poor play. Hopefully the turnaround stars tonight with Harrison on the bump and DeJong at short. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

Kyle Harrison, you are a San Francisco Giant. Giants fans have waited a long time for this, but the wait is finally over. Harrison, who is considered to be among the best pitching prospects in all of baseball, and the top left-handed pitching prospect, will make his major league debut tomorrow for the SF Giants. And yes, he is going to start the game (as opposed to coming in after an opener). At least that's what the SF Giants are saying. Harrison's arrival is a big deal for a Giants team in need of more stability in their rotation. He could help lead the Giants to the postseason, and he could be a huge weapon in October if the SF Giants get there. In other news, the Giants did what they had to do in Atlanta: avoid a sweep. Normally, losing two out of three is a bad outcome. But on the road against the best team in baseball, one win is acceptable. The SF Giants very nearly won two games against the Braves, however. Tyler Rogers served up a two out single and go-ahead homer in the eighth, and that was all she wrote in Game 2. Thankfully, the Giants continued to rack up lots of hits and came through with a gutsy win in the finale. The win did wonders for their playoff odds. In other news, Brandon Crawford was placed on the IL with a left forearm strain. Johan Camargo appears to be in line to take most of his at-bats. It's been a miserable offensive year for Crawford, who could be playing his last season with his hometown Giants. Luis Matos and Casey Schmitt were recalled from Triple-A, and it was great to see Matos impact the ball a couple of times (he hit a homer and a rocket single). Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

According to Giants owner Greg Johnson, maybe don't get your hopes up about Shohei Ohtani signing with the SF Giants afterall. In an interview with the SF Chronicle, Johnson noted that they have the flexibility to add impact talent, but that it would come at the cost of being able to make other moves to fill out the roster. That is only true, by the way, if the team is unwilling to blow past the breakeven point—something that Johnson has made clear he is not inclined to do: "our goal is to break even every year," per Johnson. Also discussed is the Donnie Ecker effect. The SF Giants thrived in 2020 and 2021 with Ecker as their main hitting coach. They hit like crazy and won like crazy. Since Ecker left for the Rangers prior to the 2022 season, the Giants have been dramatically worse offensively with a record just barely over the .500 mark. It remains shocking that they let Ecker leave, although we don't know the full story behind his departure. Finally, some mailbag questions are addressed. What does host Ben Kaspick think the Giants' final win total will be? Which NL teams represent the best and worst possible matchups for the San Francisco Giants in the postseason? Why is a lifelong fan slightly repulsed by this team? Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms:

The San Francisco Giants followed up an energizing win with yet another lifeless loss. The Giants' offensive funk has been persistent and profound. Even when the SF Giants show signs of coming out of it, they have another game like yesterday in which they scored only one run—again. Some of the pitching hasn't been much better. Home run-allowing machine Ross Stripling continued to serve up taters like it was his job. Several of Farhan Zaidi's moves haven't panned out in recent years, starting with the decision to let Kevin Gausman leave. Instead, they brought back Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, Stripling, Sean Manaea, and Carlos Rodón. Rodón was great but left after a year and Manaea is showing signs of life, but otherwise it's looking like a rough collection of signings, particularly when Gausman wanted to return but SF didn't make him an offer. There was some controversy about Gabe Kapler seemingly making opposite moves with Wade Meckler in the span of three days. In the first game of the series, Kap let Meckler hit agianst a lefty with the bases loaded when Heliot Ramos was an option to pinch hit. In the series finale, he pinch hit Slater for Meckler with the bases loaded down by five runs. While this stirred some emotions, Slater is clearly a superior option against a lefty compared to Ramos (or, probably, Meckler) and so the decision was justifyable. The one argument that holds weight is that Joc Pederson was on deck and there was only one out. So Meckler could hit for himself (and hope to stay out of a double play) and Slater could hit for Joc. Slater's recent struggles don't matter much compared to his recent and prolonged stretch of excellence as a pinch hitter and vs. LHP in general. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Ibotta Download the free Ibotta app and use code MLB for $5 off when you register.  eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let's ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Bunches Download the Bunches App today and when you do, our friends at Bunches have featured the LOCKED ON MLB Bunch in the “Discover” tab. Find the Locked On MLB bunch HERE.  Nutrafol Take the first step to visibly thicker, healthier hair. For a limited time, Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com/men and enter the promo code LOCKEDONMLB.  Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Right now, when you bet on a Super Bowl Winner, you can GET BONUS BETS EVERY TIME THEY WIN IN THE REGULAR SEASON! FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. Sleeper Download the Sleeper app and use promo code LOCKEDON and you'll get up to a $100 match on your first deposit. Terms and conditions apply. See Sleeper's Terms of Use for details. Currently operational in over 30 states. Check out Sleeper today! FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's something about the City Connect jerseys. When the San Francisco Giants wear them, they win. The Giants picked up a rare feel-good win over the Rays on Tuesday, and just about everything went right. The SF Giants scored seven runs. They pitched a shutout. They hit two home runs. They even gained a game on most teams in the wild card race. SF Giants fans were even treated to a rare Gabe Kapler ejection. Kapler fought for Wade Meckler, who had several calls go against him in his first two MLB games. It was nice to see the Giants manager sticking up for his players, something that he hasn't done enough, frankly. Jakob Junis and Sean Manaea led the Giants to victory on the mound. Manaea has quietly been dominant for almost three months, starting with his outing in Minnesota. Among 129 pitchers with at least 50 innings since May 22, Manaea ranks first in FIP and is top 10 in other key categories like strikeout rate and K-BB%. Find and follow Locked On Giants on your favorite podcast platforms: