By Morris Phillips

The Giants’ weekend wasn’t easy to digest. Three straight losses, embarassing margins and leads–none of which belonged to them. If the Giants were trying to gauge where they were, they quickly found out they wanted to be somewhere else.

Simply, the World Champion Dodgers ceased their slumber and presented the Giants with their A game. The Giants–after holding first place for several weeks–must face the reality that they are in competition with the two, best teams in baseball–the Dodgers and Padres–within their own division.

One weekend won’t decide the Giants fate, so quickly, they turn to their roadtrip through the southwest–two games in Arizona, followed by four more with the Dodgers in Los Angeles over the weekend. They can’t afford to look back, only forward. After all, five NL teams will qualify for the playoffs, and currently one of those spots belongs to them.

So what issues must the Giants be wary of? Their volatile bullpen and their below Major League standard team batting average stand out above other issues. The Giants have the oldest, offensive lineup–with an average age nearing 31 years of age for each at bat–and that comes with issues. They haven’t been the healthiest group, they strikeout well above the league average (461 strikeouts in 47 games, nearly 10 per game) and their team batting average (.227, fifth worst in MLB) leaves them vulnerable to confident starting pitchers that don’t allow walks.

This past weekend, the Giants saw three such starters in Trevor Bauer, Julio Urias and Walker Buehler, and the numbers were overwhelming with the three compiling 26 strikeouts versus five walks allowed. Even with the Giants’ ability to power up, those numbers are obviously limiting. Without being in closer ballgames than they were in this weekend, the Giants can’t compete given their offensive approach and those stifling stats put forth by Bauer, Urias and Buehler.

Luckily, their formula has life outside their encounters with baseball’s best team (who is currently without Dustin May, Clay Bellinger, Corey Seager, Mookie Betts and others). The Giants have had success keeping games close, and letting their high-leverage, offensive attack pick its spots. Their team ERA may pale in comparison to San Diego (2.59, first in MLB) and Los Angeles (2.99, second), but 3.31 is more than competitive, and currently fifth best in baseball.

That means contests against Colorado, Arizona and wild card contenders Chicago, Milwaukee and Atlanta are winnable. The Giants can’t get sidetracked by their issues with the Dodgers when games remaining the five teams mentioned and others offer them a clear path to the postseason.

That journey starts Tuesday at Chase Field with Kevin Gausman facing Corbin Martin at 6:40pm.