The Giants didn’t offer many pure joyrides in 2026, which is what made their June outburst at Wrigley Field stand out so much. In a season full of grind, San Francisco had one night in Chicago that looked exactly like the kind of lineup the front office had in mind when it added Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers.
That game turned into an 18-3 demolition of the Cubs, and the Giants did it with power all over the order. Adames hit two home runs.
Chapman also launched two, while driving in eight runs. Casey Schmitt added two homers of his own.
Devers chipped in with a couple of hits, including an RBI, and Bryce Eldridge had a couple knocks as well.
By the end of it, San Francisco had piled up 19 hits, with seven leaving the yard. A lot of that damage came against Edward Cabrera, a pitcher the Giants had been linked to as a possible trade target during the offseason. It all came in the middle of a stretch when the offense actually looked dangerous, following a 12-run game against the Milwaukee Brewers to finish the previous series.
When the Giants had most of their regulars available, they showed they could really punish a staff. And that matters because most of that lineup is expected back next season, with Arraez the main exception unless there’s a trade. Of course, that’s no sure thing.
Still, the Chicago blowout offers at least a sliver of optimism heading into 2027. If San Francisco makes a real effort to improve both the starting rotation and the bullpen, and the offense stays healthy, there’s enough there to imagine a decent team on paper.
That’s not a lock. But it’s not nothing, either.
There was even a personal sting to missing that one. The game was played on the North Side of Chicago, and despite living there, I stayed home because rain was in the forecast and I didn’t want to get stuck at Wrigley for hours if it got postponed. So I listened on the radio instead.
It was still a fun listen, but being there would have taken it to another level. I did get to see the Giants score nine runs in the 11th inning at Wrigley during the 2025 season, so maybe that’s where my good fortune went.
For a fan base that knows all about tight games and Torture, as Duane Kuiper so aptly dubbed it, an 18-3 blowout feels like a necessary reset. Every now and then, the Giants need one of those to take the edge off. And for one afternoon in Chicago, they gave everyone exactly that.
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Scott Bandura Gave Giants Fans Hope Then Raised A Tough Question
Scott Banduras 2026 season started quietly in Double-A, but he forced his way upward with a strong stretch at Triple-A before getting a September look from the Giants. For a club that is always searching for homegrown help, his climb offered a reminder that a prospect can change the conversation fast when the bat starts playing at every stop along the way.
The challenge now is whether that momentum can carry over. Banduras first taste of the majors was uneven, as he hit .207 with limited production, and the Giants head into the next season with plenty of competition for outfield openings. The question is no longer whether he earned a shot. It is whether he did enough to stay in the mix once the roster battle really begins. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Face A Costly Luis Arraez Problem They Can't Ignore
The Phillies deadline move for Luis Arraez was built around the kind of contact hitter they could plug into the middle of the lineup and lean on for the stretch run. Philadelphia acquired him from the Giants in exchange for prospects Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair, a deal that also changed the shape of the clubs infield picture as it looked ahead beyond October.
Now the more uncomfortable part of the equation is coming into view, because Arraez is expected to reach free agency and the Phillies have not exactly settled the long-term question. If they decide not to bring him back, the club could wind up having paid a notable prospect price for a short rental, leaving the front office with another infield decision to sort through after the season. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Trade Looks Better As Robbie Ray Heads Into An Uncertain Winter
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For the Giants, the deal brought back Miguel Mendez and Joniel Hernandez, and it at least gave the front office something tangible for a pitcher whose path had already grown murky. Ray now heads into an uncertain winter with free agency looming, and his brief stop with the Padres only added another layer of doubt to where hell land next. [Read more 🡒]