The Giants have spent the final stretch of 2027 trudging through a rough season, sitting at 58-83 and fourth in the National League West. Pitching has been a major problem all year, and the starting rotation has only made that mess worse with injuries, inconsistency and a lack of development.
Amid all that, Anthony Molina gave San Francisco something to think about on Monday.
The right-hander, ranked as the organization’s No. 38 prospect, turned in a strong outing against the AL East-leading Braves and looked the part of a front-line starter for stretches in Atlanta. Molina, who was recently called up for his third career start, generated 18 whiffs on 75 pitches and posted a 24% swinging-strike rate along with a 28% ball rate.
Molina (2-0) earned the win in his first start of the season, allowing three runs over five innings while striking out six. He leaned on his slider and a mid-90s fastball to get through the early innings of the Giants’ 7-3 victory. Jason Foley, Reiver Sanmartin and Dylan Smith finished the job by holding Atlanta scoreless the rest of the way.
Vitello came away encouraged, especially considering the opponent. Atlanta had won seven straight entering the game, and Molina’s ability to handle that lineup left the Giants manager talking like a man who sees a future starter.
“I think the door is open for some of the guys that we have in the organization that are teetering on, ‘Is this guy going to be a starter or not?’" Vitello stated, according to Field Level Media. "The opportunity is there more than ever.”
The stuff is clearly there for Molina. What still needs to be answered is whether he can hold up over the innings load that comes with a full-time rotation role. The Giants are expected to give him a chance to stretch out over a couple of final starts in the last few weeks.
Molina’s path to San Francisco has already been a winding one. He’s been in pro baseball since 2018 and has passed through three different organizations before arriving with the Giants.
Now the real question is whether this latest stop turns into something more permanent. The next few weeks should go a long way toward showing whether Molina has found a home in the Giants’ rotation.
In Other News...
Giants Just Made A Waiver Claim With Bigger Roster Implications
The Giants added another arm to the mix by claiming right-hander Joel Kuhnel off waivers from the Brewers, a move that fits the kind of late-season roster churn clubs often make when they are trying to patch together innings. Kuhnel has bounced around several organizations in recent years, and his profile is pretty familiar at this point: a ground-ball pitcher whose major league work has come with a 5.58 ERA across 129 innings.
What makes the claim more interesting for San Francisco is the roster math that comes with it. Kuhnel is out of options, so the Giants cannot simply tuck him away in the minors, and he will need an active roster spot while the club also figures out how to clear room on the 40-man. For a team still managing the edges of its pitching staff, that kind of move can set off a chain reaction. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Can Already Judge This Trade Deadline Gamble
A month after the trade deadline, the Giants already have enough evidence to start sorting through the aftermath of a busy deadline gamble. Six players who moved out of San Francisco have each taken different paths with their new clubs, and the early returns have been a reminder that deadline deals rarely age in a straight line. Some of the names have settled in quickly, while others have produced the kind of uneven stretch that leaves both the acquiring teams and the Giants with more questions than answers.
Erik Miller has been a bright spot for the Boston Red Sox, Robbie Ray has stayed steady with the San Diego Padres, and Tyler Mahle has stood out with the Atlanta Braves. Elsewhere, Heliot Ramos, Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian have delivered mixed results, which only deepens the sense that this trade deadline will be judged on more than just the initial headlines. For Giants fans, the bigger issue now is not what was sent out, but whether the front office got enough back to justify the risk. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Bullpen Turnover Takes Another Interesting Late-Season Turn
The Giants added another arm to the mix by claiming right-hander Joel Kuhnel off waivers from the Brewers, a late-season move that fits the clubs pattern of stockpiling pitching depth for the stretch run. Kuhnel has already bounced through three organizations this season, and his work has been steady enough to keep him in the conversation, even if his role has been more about covering innings than handling pressure spots.
For San Francisco, the immediate plan is straightforward: use Kuhnel in low-leverage situations and see whether there is something to build on beyond this year. The longer view is a little more intriguing, because the Giants could keep him around for 2027 if he proves useful, making this less a one-off waiver claim than a possible first step in a longer stay. [Read more 🡒]