by Nelly's Sports
Tuesday, May 30, 2023The Giants are making a surge with strong results in the month of May. Can this team compete for a playoff spot in 2023? Now with two months of the MLB season complete the sample size has reached a meaningful level and the standings are taking form through all the adjustments for the 2023 season. Several teams have provided some recent momentum to emerge in the playoff standings, including the San Francisco Giants. Is it a real run to relevance or a fake short-term boost for a mediocre squad?
The Giants had the best regular season record in baseball in 2021, winning 107 games to win the NL West title. Last season San Francisco fell back to the pack, finishing 81-81. San Francisco’s prospects for 2023 brought mixed opinions as the Giants struck out on a few big-name free agent bids. As the end of May approaches the Giants have climbed just above .500 with a recent surge, is that a sustainable pace or is this squad going to finish out of the running?
San Francisco is 28-26 with a +9 scoring differential, going 16-11 at home and 12-15 on the road, for a profile that fits the record. After going 11-16 in March and April the Giants are 17-10 so far in May and +37 in scoring. The Giants have fared poorly in blowout score games and are only 5-5 in one-run results while 1-2 in extra-inning games as there hasn’t been great fortune in the win/loss record.
The recent schedule creating the rise in late May has come through a quality path as well, going 5-1 on a home stand against Philadelphia and Miami, while taking five of seven on a road trip through Minnesota and Milwaukee. The upcoming schedule is a mixed bag with the Orioles visiting in early June but also manageable opportunities with the Rockies, Cubs, and Cardinals. The late June path includes facing the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks in succession for a critical run in the standings.
The pitching for the Giants has average season numbers but it is a misleading picture. The starting pitching has been quite good, but the bullpen had awful early season numbers. San Francisco relievers have a 0.45 ERA with a 0.70 WHIP in the current 10-game splits as the unit has turned a corner. The starting pitching trio of Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, and Alex Cobb has been excellent this season and the results appear to be sustainable. Ross Stripling is on the IL right now while Sean Manaea has had disastrous results as the back of the rotation hasn’t worked out as planned. Alex Wood is still there as a capable option however while Jakob Junis has settled into a long relief option that could eventually return to a starting role as the overall pitching depth looks promising for the Giants.
Much like in 2021, the offense lacks big names, but Michael Conforto is having an all-star caliber season while Thairo Estrada continues to prove he can be an everyday player. The Giants are fifth in MLB in home runs hit and while it is a high-strikeout lineup, there is little reason to think San Francisco can’t continue to be a borderline top 10 scoring and OPS squad as they are now.
Arizona has been a surprise contender in the NL West, but the Diamondbacks have a few red flags that suggest being there in September may be less likely. The Padres have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball and while San Diego is likely to make a run at some point, there is a chance to team could fold and sell off expensive parts as well if the Dodgers look too difficult to catch. Los Angeles is 33-22 to pace the division but Los Angeles hasn’t been as dominant as in the past few seasons as this division race is still open and the Giants look like a team that will be in the mix.
Verdict on the 2023 San Francisco Giants start: Real Contender
