San Francisco Giants pitcher Ryan Walker has been used as an opener for much of the season. The Giants openers have pitched four or less innings in 53 games. (San Francisco Chronicle file photo)

MLB The Show podcast with Jim On Bases:

#1 Jim, the San Francisco Giants are entering their 53rd game where a starter was used for four innings or less. In those 53 games those starters threw 80 pitches or less. Jim is the opener working or hurting the Giants.

#2 The Giants are just a 1.5 games out of the NL Wild Card and still can work their way in and finish by plenty ahead. They have have to beat the good teams and have struggled against the Atlanta Braves during this three game series dropping the first two. How important is it for San Francisco to win these games like these against the Braves.

#3 Injuries are becoming the norm in MLB particularly here in the dog days of summer, let’s start with the Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani who refused an MRI just weeks before he was shelved with the UCL diagnosis. Ohtani is still being used as a DH and will not pitch and might be on the way to his second Tommy John surgery.

#4 Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette left Saturday’s game with right quad tightness in the top of the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians and third baseman Matt Chapman left with middle finger inflammation. Chapman was sidelined earlier this season for the same issue. Bichette was hitting .316 and Chapman was hitting .248. The Jays are desperate for a playoff spot and are concerned about losing two of their key players.

#5 Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao said the Oakland A’s could stay at the Oakland Coliseum until their new stadium is built in Las Vegas but with the condition that the city of Oakland is promised an expansion team or Oakland keeping the A’s name. Jim, what do you see those odds are? MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s whole goal was to get out of Oakland in the first place because of what he said bad attendance and the city wouldn’t build a ballpark, do you see him expanding to Oakland in the future or MLB has abandon Oakland for good?

Jim on Bases is a podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com