How the Giants Turned Their Team Into World Series Contenders

So to understand how this turnaround happened, we will have to take this post to the end of the 2020 Regular Season. While the season was coming to a close the Giants were still in the Wild Card contention. In the last few weeks, they were on a little bit of a slump but still a half-a-game back out of a playoff spot. To get in all the Giants needed was a win over the Padres to knock out the Brewers. The final game of the season was quite a nail-biter as the Padres had a 5-4 lead coming into the Bottom of the 9th. To start the inning, Brandon Crawford and Joey Bart were both made quick work of, next up Austin Slater. With the season on the line, Slater needed to make contact and get on base, with a 2-2 count the pitch came in and, Slater would strike out looking at ending the Giants season and playoff hopes.

After a disappointing ending to the 2020 season it was time for the offseason, and what they needed were roster moves if they wanted to get into the playoffs. To start the offseason they resigned Kevin Gausman as next season’s Ace. Next, Farhan Zaidi went after Reds Pitcher Anthony DeSclafani signing him to a multi-year deal. After the DeSclafani signing, the Giants went for some depth and signed a catcher Curt Casali. With their 3rd rotation signing, they went ahead picked up ex-Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood. For their final big pickup, Giants set their eyes on the solid contact hitter Tommy La Stella. With a shiny new Pitching Rotation, Depth Signings, and some smaller pick-ups, The San Francisco Giants were looking fresh and shiny for the upcoming 2021 season.

Before entering the Regular Season, the Giants needed to play Spring Training, and prove to everyone else that this team can be Playoff Contenders or at least Wild Card, contenders. After the end of Spring Training, the Giants posted a not-so-eye-catching record of 11-12. Now that spring training ended it was time, time for the Giants to win and get their team on the winning track.

Now for the big part, the 2021 Regular Season. The Giants started the Regular Season with a not-great start going 3-3. After their 3-3 start the Giants went on a hot streak going an impressive 7-3 in the next 10 games. But their hot streak wouldn’t stop there, the Giants quickly had the best record in baseball and earned 1st Place in the NL West. Throughout the first half, they would keep the there status as the best team in baseball and go into the All-Star break with an amazing record of 57-32. The main reason for the great turnaround is mainly because of the elite rotation had become, mainly lead by Cy Young Contender and Ace Kevin Gausman putting up career-high numbers and followed by pitchers Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood who have also been putting up career highs. Though the rotation hasn’t been the sole reason for their success this season, as star players Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford have had monster seasons each of them having been elected to the All-Star Game, and depth players such as Lamonte Wade Jr, Darin Ruf, and Curt Casali have been big helps to putting up runs to winning games and maintaining 1st place.

Even though the Giants have been in 1st for most of the 1st half Farhan Zaidi and Gabe Kapler realized that they needed to make some acquisitions at the trade deadline if they seriously wanted to win the World Series. So at the Trade Deadline Zaidi had made a few calls and traded for Cubs 3B/OF Kris Bryant and added him to the roster for little to nothing in the trade.

Even now at the start of August the Giants still have the best record in baseball with an amazing record of 71-41 and show no sign of stopping anytime soon. They are World Series favorites and are still 4.0 games ahead of the Dodgers. So now all we can ask is if the Giants keep this record, and follow through into and throughout the playoffs. All we will have to do is sit and wait.