The San Francisco Giants were supposed to be built for this season, but the results have pushed them to the bottom of the National League and left the organization staring at a deadline that feels a lot different from the one it imagined.
What was supposed to be a push for contention has turned into a conversation about selling. President Buster Posey has no appetite for a full teardown, and he has already shut down the idea of moving right-handed ace Logan Webb, who is signed through 2028 and would be the kind of arm that could bring back a major return.
Jung Hoo Lee, who is batting over .400 in June, is also staying put. Even if the front office wanted to go harder into a fire sale, the Giants’ attendance has been too strong for ownership to embrace that route, with the club on pace to draw 3 million for the first time since 2018.
The more realistic question is whether Posey and GM Zack Minasian can find a trade partner for Rafael Devers or Willy Adames without absorbing most of the money left on those deals. That is a tall order.
The numbers around the Giants tell the story. A year ago at this point, they were 45-38.
Now they sit fourth in the NL West, with playoff odds at 2.6 percent according to FanGraphs and 0.50 percent according to Baseball Reference. If the season ended today, they would be eliminated from playoff contention.
There’s at least one looming series that gives the Giants something to point to, even if only barely. They host the Rockies for a four-game set beginning July 9, a stretch that runs right into the All-Star break and carries the battle for fourth place in the division.
The larger issue is trust. The major-league club has been such a disappointment despite the half-billion investment in Devers, Adames and Matt Chapman that Posey’s roster-building chops are now being questioned.
If there is any path to salvaging his tenure, it may come from the farm system, which has improved but is still thin at the top levels. Adding prospects, especially pitchers close to the majors, would help.
There is also a clear trail from last year to this one. Posey was an aggressive seller at the deadline even when the Giants were sitting around .500, sending relievers Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval away. That history points in one direction again.
Only a stunning winning streak could change the equation. That feels like a long shot for a team that has not swept a series all season, has not won more than three straight, and has a pitching staff that has struggled to build any positive momentum.
So the assignment is pretty simple. If the Giants can find a market, they should push hard to move Devers and Adames, who already look to be entering a decline phase.
More likely, though, the focus will land on impending free agents. Luis Arraez, the three-time batting champ at second base, would be the kind of contact bat contenders love for October.
Robbie Ray has not matched the first-half All-Star form he showed last season, but he has allowed no earned runs in three of his last four starts.
Tyler Mahle is another name to watch. The right-hander has been a $10 million disappointment as rotation depth, but his stuff ticked up in a strong start against the A’s in his return from the IL on Wednesday. If former Mets lefty David Peterson, with a 6-something ERA, could draw interest from the Cubs, then Mahle should have some value too.
In Other News...
Giants Just Moved On From Buddy Kennedy And It Says Plenty
Buddy Kennedys stop with the Giants was short and fairly ordinary, which is part of why the move was easy to read. The 27-year-old veteran infielder had been used around the diamond this season, and his limited run in San Francisco never gave the club much reason to keep him in the mix after a handful of quiet games. His major league track record has been that of a depth piece more than a fixture, and the Giants have now chosen to clear the spot.
What makes the move worth noting is the contrast between his big-league struggles and the bat he showed in Sacramento, where he put together a much better stretch at Triple-A. Kennedy has bounced through several organizations since Arizona drafted him in 2017, which makes this latest change feel more like another turn in an already winding career than a surprise. Still, the timing suggests the Giants were ready to pivot, even if his next opportunity now belongs to another club. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Rookie Drew Cavanaugh Delivers A Debut Fans Will Absolutely Love
Drew Cavanaughs first day in the majors came with a little more responsibility than most rookies can expect, and the Giants handed it to him right away. Called up after Daniel Susac landed on the injured list, the 2023 17th-round pick out of Florida Southern stepped behind the plate in his MLB debut and caught Trevor McDonald, a big leap for a player who was still climbing through the system not long ago.
Cavanaugh also checked off the first-hit box in the fifth inning, giving his debut the kind of finishing touch that tends to stick with a clubhouse and a fan base. After the game, he handed the authenticated ball to his mother, a simple gesture that fit the moment and made the whole night feel a little bigger than a standard roster move. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Grind Out Another Tight Home Win To Take The Series
Robbie Ray gave the Giants exactly the kind of start they have been leaning on during this home stretch, working deep enough to keep the game in their hands and limiting Atlanta to one unearned run. San Francisco did just enough behind him, with Luis Arraez picking up a run scored and an RBI and the Giants turning two Braves errors in the sixth inning into the lead they would not give back in a 3-2 win.
The finish still had plenty of tension. Atlanta kept pushing late enough to force San Francisco to guard every pitch, but Caleb Kilian handled the ninth and closed it out as the Giants continued to stack one narrow home win after another. It was the kind of series-clinching result that can quietly matter in the bigger picture, especially for a club that keeps finding ways to win games that stay tight deep into the night. [Read more 🡒]