By Morris Phillips

During the upcoming series versus the Rockies, the Giants will reach the completion of half their 2018 season. So is this season trending towards a bounceback or another failure similar to that experienced last season?

The Giants are a little of both so far, but the compressed schedule leading toward the July 17 All-Star Game and the two weeks after the break offer the Giants their biggest challenge yet. Only six of the next 28 games come against a team with a losing record currently. Those six–against the slumping Rockies–come in the next nine games. And the Rockies at 38-40 aren’t a certainty to stay below .500 or provide the Giants with a lesser challenge than the Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Brewers, Mariners, A’s and Cubs will over this stretch.

For a team hoovering around .500, a tough stretch like this separates the real contenders from the half-season pretenders. The Giants, playing better as of late, could be either one. What’s apparent is the urgency laced into this stretch of games for a team that hasn’t distinguished itself by being one of nine National League teams currently with winning records.

The biggest advantage the Giants will have is playing at AT&T Park where they have won 12 of 15. Seventeen of the upcoming 28 are at home where the Giants have compiled the NL’s best home record thus far (24-13).

On the field, starting pitching has been the club’s biggest asset of late. Without the veteran presences of Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija, Giants’ starters have allowed three runs or fewer in 13 straight contests.

On Tuesday, the Giants welcome the Rockies and their starter, Chad Bettis. Derek Holland (5-7, 4.48 ERA) gets the ball for the Giants.