Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge gave the Giants exactly the kind of late-game punch that turns a tight night into a win.
Devers launched his 32nd home run of the season on Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates, extending the hot stretch that has seen him homer in three straight games and move past the 30-homer mark. Then Eldridge delivered the swing that mattered most, lining an RBI double in the 10th inning to bring home the go-ahead run in San Francisco’s 5-4 extra-inning victory.
For a Giants team that needed both power and poise to survive the night, the veteran star and the rookie came through together.
Devers’ season has taken a sharp turn after drawing plenty of criticism and even trade talk around his numbers and attitude since he arrived in the Bay Area midway through last season. He got off to a slow start this year, hitting only two home runs over his first 36 games, but he’s now back in the middle of the conversation among the National League’s top power hitters.
The 29-year-old is batting .254 with 32 homers, 83 RBI, 63 walks and 82 runs scored. His home run total ranks fifth in the NL, behind Kyle Schwarber’s league-leading 40.
Eldridge has had his own uneven ride, but the 21-year-old appears to be finding his footing again. He drew early attention as a possible Rookie of the Year candidate before leveling off, yet his first run through MLB has still produced encouraging numbers: a .263 average, 15 home runs and 45 RBI.
The Giants have leaned into a youth movement around Eldridge, while Devers has become the established centerpiece in the middle of it. Devers has mostly handled first base, Eldridge’s natural position, and the two left-handed hitters now give San Francisco a pair of bats that can change a game in a hurry.
If they keep producing together, the Giants have reason to feel good about what comes next.
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