I support them in any and all of these ways.
Remarkably, the San Francisco Giants have led the National League West for nearly the entire season. Usually in sports when an unlikely feat occurs over the course of the year, it begins to feel normal by the end, and you forget how bizarre and special it is.
Not this one. The novelty of the Giants spending well more than 100 days atop a division boasting two teams labeled as juggernauts in March has not worn off. And I suspect the only way the lead will cease to be special is if it ceases to exist.
The Giants have 12 games left to try and keep the lead in their possession. The Los Angeles Dodgers have 12 games left to try and pry it away.
From here on out, both teams will play on the same days. They both had this Monday off, and they both have next Monday, Sept. 27 off as well. But they each play every other game, concluding their seasons on Oct. 3.
They both have their next six games on the road, before finishing with six at home.
For the Giants, the road six are against the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies; for the Dodgers, it’s the Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks. Advantage, Dodgers.
For the Giants, the home six are against the Diamondbacks and Padres; for the Dodgers, it’s the Padres and Milwaukee Brewers. Advantage, Giants.
The Giants have a one-game lead in the standings, and own the tiebreaker, which means one of three things will happen: the Giants will finish with the better record and win the division; the Giants will finish with the worse record and be the Wild Card; or the two teams will finish with the same record, and play a single game for the division, which will take place at Oracle Park by virtue of San Francisco winning the regular season series.
Hope for the first option, settle for the third one, and pretend the second one doesn’t exist.
With that said, here are the potential scenarios for the final 12 games:
I see a lot of desirable outcomes there.