The San Francisco Giants have dropped a three-game series to the Seattle Mariners. This is the second consecutive three-game series that they’ve lost to a team with a record below .500. Still, they got their first win in July to escape their first home sweep of the year. Alex Cobb, who recently came off the 15-day IL, closed out his first half on a high note. The right-hander heads into the All-Star break with 2.91 ERA over 16 starts, the fifth-best in the National League.
Giants-Mariners Series Didn’t Go as Hoped
Camilo Doval Had a Disaster on Monday
Camilo Doval has been incredibly good for the Giants bullpen this year. Recently, he was selected for the first All-Star game of his career. But on Monday night, something went wrong. With the game tied in the top of the ninth, he came in to try and hold the tie. But the Mariners put up four runs against him, and the Giants found themselves in a pickle.
Perhaps the worst part of the loss was another comeback cut short. In the bottom of the ninth, Blake Sabol hit a three-run homer to bring San Francisco within a run of tying the game. But they just couldn’t complete it.
The Bats Were Cold on Tuesday
Keaton Winn got the ball for the fourth of July. While the Giants rotation depth has not been what they hoped for, they have starting pitching prospects who could make an impact someday. In Winn’s previous start, he had pitched six innings of two-run ball. But this time, he was tagged for three runs before being pulled from the game after four innings. Had he remained in the game, it is no doubt possible that he would have made it through six while not allowing any more runs. But the Giants have systematically used an aggressive bullpen strategy this season, and tried to bring the best matchups into every situation. So they brought in Sean Manaea for the fifth.
A Side Note About Winn
As we know, the Giants pitching is their greatest need. It’s good at the top end, but they need more quality depth all the way through. If Winn can provide some of that, it would come as a huge plus for the Giants.
It is certainly true that San Francisco’s farm system has turned things around. Before, they struggled to find productive players to call up to the big leagues. The turnaround in that regard has been a major reason for their success in 2023. The key for the Giants is getting a full rotation so that they will not have to bullpen their way through games. While their last few seasons have been characterized by the extensive usage of this strategy, the current times most likely call for a more traditional approach.
Right now, Winn has a 4.09 ERA. It remains to be seen how he will turn out for the rest of 2023. For all we know, he could be a big part of the Giants roster down the stretch. And there may be better to come. The next step might be to call up Kyle Harrison.
The Giants Avoided the Sweep on Wednesday
We may be grateful that this three-game series did not end in a sweep. Cobb was dominant on Wednesday, and LaMonte Wade Jr. drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Wade also reached on an error in the fifth, which brought in another run. Taylor Rogers, Tyler Rogers, and Doval took it the rest of the way to complete the shutout.
Cobb’s performance will be a key factor going forward. As previously mentioned, the starting rotation has been in some ways an area of weakness. His return from the IL was something the Giants looked forward to. You just never know how an injury will affect a pitcher’s performance when he returns. But Cobb’s performance on Wednesday was promising. He just needs to be consistent in the long run.
San Francisco Meets the Rockies Comes Next
Thus the Giants snapped their four-game losing streak. Their next task is a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies. With a 33-55 record, the Rockies are well out of contention. There will be absolutely no valid excuse for not winning this one.
The Giants biggest challenge in the near future will be surviving without Thairo Estrada, who broke his hand after being hit by a pitch. This injury is just one of those unavoidable occurrences in baseball that can happen to anyone. But it is a tough one to swallow. Still, the Giants have to focus on what they can control and get their momentum back.
Photo Credit: © Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
Players mentioned:
Alex Cobb, Camilo Doval, Blake Sabol, Keaton Winn, Sean Manaea, Kyle Harrison, LaMonte Wade Jr., Taylor Rogers, Tyler Rogers,
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