Nobody saw it coming – not the fans, not the analysts, and maybe not even the San Francisco Giants themselves- but the team has managed to boast a record of 12-4 as of April 15, the best record the Giants have had since 2003!
The San Francisco Giants have not been this fun to watch since the 2021 season, when the team finished the season with 107 wins to 55 losses, making the MLB playoffs. However, following this season, the San Francisco Giants have been nothing short of mediocre, lacking competitiveness, consistency, and a clear front office vision. But what changed?
While there may not have been many changes this offseason, the few changes that the front office did make could have very well turned the Giants into serious playoff contenders.
The Giants signed and extended multiple players this offseason, including shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million contract, third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year, $151 million deal, and adding veteran pitcher Justin Verlander to the rotation. However, the best addition to the Giants was hiring former catcher and three-time World Series champion Buster Posey as the team’s new President of Baseball Operations, reigniting the Giants’ spark that gives them their competitiveness and vision for the future!
Alongside these offseason acquisitions, the team found a new consistency as multiple players have started showing flashes of greatness.
Firstly, centerfielder Jung Hoo Lee returned to the field after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last season. Since his return, Lee has established himself as a force to be reckoned with as he becomes one of the best hitters in the league, as he is tied for the most doubles in the MLB with eight. Lee also boasts three home runs and a batting average of .352 (fifth in all of the MLB), outperforming star players like Shohei Ohtani!
Other players, such as Wilmer Flores, have also shined this season, as Flores is credited with multiple walk-off home runs and is tied with eight other players for the most home runs in the league (6) as of April 15. Flores also shares the title of most RBIs alongside Aaron Judge, with a total number of 20.
Now, before I get ahead of myself, it’s only April, meaning there are still 140+ games remaining in the MLB season; things could very well change. The Giants could hold on as one of the league’s most efficient teams, or fall back into mediocrity. The truth is, as of April 15th, things can change drastically for the Giants, but until then, I’ll be celebrating their newfound competitiveness while it lasts because when the Giants are doing great, there’s nothing like it.