The SF Giants don’t have much left on the line in the final stretch of the season, but they do have something worth circling: six games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the last week or so. That gives San Francisco a chance to do a little damage, even if the bigger picture is mostly about players making their case for next year’s club.
The Dodgers have already wrapped up the National League West, so their postseason spot is secure. They’re also still chasing more than just a playoff berth.
Los Angeles is in position to go after a third straight World Series title, and there’s plenty still unsettled around seeding. They entered Friday night’s game against the Giants at 93-60, sitting two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the NL and four games ahead of the Atlanta Braves, who currently hold the third-best mark in the league.
That means the Dodgers are likely to finish no worse than the No. 2 seed, which would send them straight into the divisional round and past the Wild Card round. But the top seed is still in play, and that matters. If San Francisco can slow them down over these final meetings, it could help keep Milwaukee in front and potentially give the Brewers home-field advantage if the two clubs meet in the NLCS.
There’s another layer to it, too. Home-field advantage for the World Series is also still up for grabs.
The Dodgers are currently tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in the American League, so every win still matters if Los Angeles wants to keep control of that edge. A few Giants victories could tilt that in Tampa Bay’s direction if the Dodgers end up in the Fall Classic again.
San Francisco already has the upper hand in the season series, sitting at 4-3 against Los Angeles. Taking three of the remaining six would secure the series and give the Giants a small but meaningful win in their own right. At the very least, hanging tough against the Dodgers gives the younger players something useful to carry forward - a reminder that Los Angeles is not some untouchable force.
It’s obviously not the same kind of pressure that defined 2021, when every game down the stretch had real division implications for both teams. Still, for a Giants club with limited stakes of its own, the chance to play mini-spoiler gives the final week a little extra bite.
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Tony Vitello's Bullpen Gamble Turned A Giants Opportunity Into Another Ugly Loss
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Abner walked a batter and allowed hits that opened the door to multiple runs, turning a tense spot into another rough stretch for the Giants bullpen. The result was a 10-4 loss, another reminder that when San Francisco has a chance to stay connected against a rival like Los Angeles, the margin for error in those innings is razor thin. [Read more 🡒]