The Giants’ problems on the bases have become impossible to ignore.
Through 2026, San Francisco has stolen 28 bases and allowed 79, leaving it with a minus-51 stolen-base differential - the worst mark in baseball. That number may not carry the same weight as home-run differential, but it still tells a clear story about a team losing ground in the margins.
And the Giants are losing that battle in both directions. They have attempted just 40 steals, tied with the Houston Astros for the fewest in the majors, and they’ve converted only 70 percent of those tries, which is tied with Houston for the third-lowest success rate.
At the same time, opponents have been running wild on them. The 79 stolen bases allowed are tied with the Cincinnati Reds for the third-most in baseball, and San Francisco’s 21-percent caught-stealing rate ranks 19th.
The odd part is that this isn’t simply a speed issue. The Giants are not the slowest club around; they sit near the middle of the pack in sprint speed.
The bigger issue is a lack of aggression and a lack of control. Even with rule changes designed to encourage more stealing, San Francisco has stayed passive while other teams have pushed the pace.
That contrast shows up at the top of the standings, too. The Milwaukee Brewers lead baseball with a 54 stolen-base differential, and the New York Yankees are right behind them at 45.
Both are among the best teams in the sport. The Toronto Blue Jays, meanwhile, sit second-worst at minus-45, and they have also been one of the more disappointing teams in baseball.
For the Giants, the running game has become a recurring leak. Tuesday night’s loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks offered another example, with Landen Roupp allowing two steals without even checking the runner. That cannot happen.
The pitching staff has not done enough to control the running game, and the numbers back that up. San Francisco has recorded minus-7 Net Bases Prevented, the fourth-worst figure in baseball. The three teams below them are also giving up a heavy volume of steals.
If the Giants are serious about tightening up the details, this is the place to start. Holding runners is a teachable skill, and the team is giving away too many extra 90-foot advances.
Right now, San Francisco is moving station to station while opponents are turning singles into doubles. That has to change.
In Other News...
Luis Arraez Is Already Being Tied To One Trade Landing Spot
With the trade deadline approaching, the Giants are being viewed as a club that could move players on expiring contracts, and Luis Arraez is one of the names naturally drawing attention. The second baseman has been one of San Franciscos more stable pieces this season, giving them both improved defense and steady production at the plate while the front office weighs where this team stands in the bigger picture.
Arraezs value is obvious enough that other clubs are already being connected to him, and the fit talk is starting to follow. The Rangers have been mentioned as a possible destination because of their unsettled situation at second base, but for now it remains exactly that, speculation about a player whose profile could make him one of the more interesting chips if the Giants decide to deal. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Already Be Reversing A Frustrating Offseason Plan
The Giants went into the offseason trying to stabilize the roster with a mix of longer commitments and shorter bets, signing Adrian Houser and Harrison Bader to multi-year deals while bringing in Luis Arrez and Tyler Mahle on one-year contracts. It was a clear attempt to add immediate help without boxing themselves in for too long, but the early returns have not matched the plan, especially with Houser struggling enough to end up in the bullpen.
Baders situation has only added to the uncertainty around that strategy, and it has left San Francisco weighing whether one of those longer deals could be moved before the trade deadline. If the front office decides to pivot, it would amount to an early reset on a plan that was supposed to give the club more stability, and it could mean attaching cash to make a deal work. [Read more 🡒]
Even A Win Over Arizona Exposed The Giants Embarrassing Problem
A win over Arizona still left the Giants with an uncomfortable reminder of how fragile their margin for error can be. The eighth inning turned messy in a hurry with Ryan Walker on the mound, and Christian Koss was in the middle of it, first on a play at second and then with a pair of errant throws that helped turn a bad spot into something much worse.
Kosss rough night did not come out of nowhere, either. Earlier, he appeared unsure of the number of outs on a fly ball, a small detail that can loom large for a club already trying to clean up its execution. For San Francisco, the bigger concern is less about one inning than what it says about attention to detail and the way the roster has been patched together, especially with Koss back in the picture after Matt Chapman went on the injured list. [Read more 🡒]