DENVER -- The Giants seem to be playing with some extra fire lately. They didn’t hesitate to defend Rafael Devers after he drew the ire of Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland for admiring his two-run blast in the top of the first inning on Tuesday, resulting in a benches-clearing brawl that provided a memorable opening note to an eventual 7-4 win for San Francisco at Coors Field. Freeland, Matt Chapman and Willy Adames were ejected for serving as the primary instigators, but the Giants managed to withstand the loss of the entire left side of their infield, with a banged-up Casey Schmitt stepping in to crush a home run in the fifth and Devers sliding over to play third base for the first time this season. “This has been a team that’s been really tight, even during the tough times,” manager Bob Melvin said. “That’s what gets you through the tough times and back on the other side of it. It shows you kind of the fight that we have when these guys are sticking up for their teammates.” The Giants looked dead in the water after slipping seven games under .500 on Aug. 22, but they’ve managed to resurrect their season by reeling off nine wins in their last 10 games. At 70-69, they’re now back over .500 for the first time since Aug. 9, leaving them five games behind the Mets (75-64) for the third and final National League Wild Card spot with 23 games left to play. The sudden hot streak should make things interesting in September, but it won’t be the only Giants storyline to follow down the stretch. Here are three other questions that will be worth monitoring over the final month of the regular season: |
|
|
1. Can Adames break the 30-homer drought? Adames blasted his team-high 26th home run of the year on Monday, leaving him four shy of becoming the first Giant to hit 30 in a single season since Barry Bonds in 2004. He didn’t get the chance to swing the bat before he was tossed on Tuesday, though, which cost him a chance to play on his 30th birthday and continue to add to his total at the hitter-friendly Coors Field. Adames hit a career-high 32 homers for the Brewers last year, so he certainly has the juice to end the Giants’ 21-year drought if he can maintain his power stroke in the coming weeks. Brandon Belt nearly broke the long spell in 2021, but he ended up finishing with 29 homers after he suffered a left thumb fracture on a hit-by-pitch with a week left in the regular season. |
2. Can the Giants find an internal solution to their right-field void? After dealing veteran Mike Yastrzemski to the Royals at the Trade Deadline, the Giants created an opening for two young outfielders -- Luis Matos and Drew Gilbert -- to start to get regular playing time in right field. The upstarts have impressed thus far, with Matos batting .405 (17-for-42) with three home runs and eight RBIs in 11 games since being recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Aug. 21 and Gilbert going 7-for-9 with five RBIs over his last three games. “That’s what you like to see,” Melvin said. “That’s what we talked about when both these guys came here. 'You get an opportunity. Go ahead and seize it, and you’re going to find yourself in the lineup getting some at-bats.' Both of them have.” Four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker -- who was reportedly on the Giants’ radar before he was traded from the Astros to the Cubs last December -- will headline the class of free-agent outfielders this winter, but it remains to be seen if San Francisco will have the appetite to hand out another big contract now that the club has Devers, Adames and Chapman signed through the end of the decade. If Matos and/or Gilbert show enough to solidify spots in the outfield next year, the Giants could have more flexibility to focus on upgrading other areas of the roster this offseason. |
3. Which relievers will lock down spots in the 2026 bullpen?
The Giants’ bullpen was their biggest strength for most of the season, but the group has undergone significant turnover in recent months. Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval were traded to the Mets and Yankees, respectively, and Randy Rodríguez (Tommy John surgery) and Erik Miller (left elbow sprain) are expected to end the season on the injured list. Only two relievers -- Ryan Walker and Spencer Bivens -- remain from San Francisco’s Opening Day bullpen, but the attrition has given the club a chance to take a look at some other arms, including Joey Lucchesi, Matt Gage, José Buttó, Joel Peguero and Keaton Winn. The Giants will likely be on the hunt for relief help this offseason, but they should have an easier time filling out their bullpen next year if any of their incumbents emerge as dependable options this month. |
|
|
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
|
|
• With rosters expanding from 26 to 28 players on Monday, the Giants decided to bring up right-hander JT Brubaker and outfielder Grant McCray as their first wave of September callups. Brubaker, 31, opened the season with the Yankees and logged a 3.38 ERA over 12 relief appearances before being released on Aug. 7. He joined the Giants on a Minor League deal less than a week later and subsequently reported to Triple-A Sacramento, where he posted a 1.64 ERA over three outings before having his contract selected by the Giants. “It has been a whirlwind,” Brubaker said. “Signing here, I was just looking for a place to want me. It looked like a good fit for me. Once I got here, they welcomed me with open arms. It’s been an amazing experience so far.” • Melvin said catching prospect Jesus Rodriguez may be an option to join the Giants down the line, but the organization wants to give the 23-year-old Venezuelan more defensive reps at Triple-A after he missed time with a shoulder injury last month. |
|
|
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW |
|
|
To subscribe to Giants Beat, visit this page and mark "Giants Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Giants or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|
