The Giants don’t have much left to chase with 16 games separating them from .500 and a trade deadline that points toward selling. But Bryce Eldridge still gives them something to watch, and now the National League Rookie of the Year race may have opened up a little more.
Pittsburgh infielder Konnor Griffin is dealing with a torn finger tendon and won’t be back until September. That matters because Griffin had been in the mix, and the lost time likely knocks him out of contention. He’s hitting .276/.332/.404 with five home runs and 25 runs batted in on the year.
That leaves Eldridge with a clearer path, even if he still trails the current favorites. Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds and JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals remain ahead of him in the odds, and both entered the race with a built-in advantage by making the Opening Day roster.
Wetherholt has put together a strong case at .263/.358/.405 with 13 home runs and 36 runs batted in. He also brings one of the best defensive profiles at second base, which only strengthens his argument.
Stewart has been even louder at the plate, batting .256/.341/.481 with 19 homers and 64 runs batted in. He’s got real thump, and the Giants already got a taste of his edge earlier this season when he and Erik Miller exchanged choice words.
Eldridge’s numbers show why he still has work to do. He’s hitting .269/.355/.457 with seven home runs and 19 runs batted in, and he’s been in a mini-slump lately that he’s trying to shake off. If he’s going to make this race interesting, the second half has to be a different story.
The path is pretty clear: he probably needs a big power surge, maybe into the 25-30 home run range, to separate himself from the pack. Wetherholt’s defense gives him another way to stand out, so Eldridge likely has to win with the bat.
Even if the award doesn’t come his way, the bigger picture still matters. The Giants want to see him keep growing, because big league pitchers are making adjustments to him now, and he has to answer back if he wants to become the face of the franchise someday.
In Other News...
Giants May Already Be Facing A Rafael Devers Reality Check
Rafael Devers has started to show some offensive improvement, but the Giants are still weighing a much bigger question about whether the fit ever really works in San Francisco. The club is reportedly exploring trade possibilities, a sign that the conversation around Devers has moved beyond production alone and into the harder issues of contract, clubhouse reputation and how he fits into the roster the Giants are trying to build.
For a team that expected more when it brought him in, the tension is obvious: Devers has not matched franchise expectations, and the longer this drags on, the more it shapes the rest of the lineup picture. There is even speculation about a possible trade partner if San Francisco is willing to take on a hefty share of the remaining salary, but nothing has been finalized yet, leaving the Giants with a decision that could say plenty about where they think this relationship is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Trade Idea Would Test How Far They Will Go For Help
A speculative trade pitch has put the Phillies in a familiar spot: weighing whether a midseason fix is worth the price of doing business. The idea, floated by Bleacher Reports Kerry Miller, would give Philadelphia help in a few areas at once, including a right-handed bat for the outfield and more stability on the mound, while also keeping the club from having to dip into the very top of its prospect stack.
The catch is the money, which is always part of the conversation when a deal starts to look this ambitious. Jung Hoo Lee is attached to a long-term contract, Robbie Ray is still carrying a hefty salary, and any team trying to make the math work has to decide how much flexibility it is willing to sacrifice for immediate help. For the Phillies, the appeal is obvious, but so is the question that lingers over any proposal like this: how far are they really prepared to go? [Read more 🡒]
Giants Face A Draft Defining Problem They Still Havent Fixed
The Giants are heading into this draft with a chance to do something their farm system has struggled to do for years: stock the organization with real outfield power. San Francisco has generally done a better job developing pitchers and infielders, while corner outfield help has too often come from outside the system through free agency, trades or international signings. With two first-round picks and five total day-one selections, this is the kind of draft that can change the conversation if the club identifies the right talent.
The need is especially clear because the pipeline is still thin, even with a few recent bright spots. Heliot Ramos has become a rare homegrown outfielder to stick as an everyday big leaguer for the Giants, while former top pick Hunter Bishop never got the momentum the club hoped for. There are names in the system who give San Francisco something to build on, but the larger question remains whether this draft finally gives the Giants the kind of outfield depth they have been chasing for so long. [Read more 🡒]