San Francisco Giants’ Luis Matos celebrates with teammates in the dugout after scoring on a double hit by Casey Schmitt during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on Wed Sep 6, 2023 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

It was not so long ago that the San Francisco Giants seemed to have a clear shot at a post season spot. Everything offensively and defensively was working but lately there has been a major shift and not for the better.

Going all the way back to mid-August the Giants can see the decline. They dropped two series to the Braves, then it was the Phillies and then they won a series against the Reds. When it looked like things might be turning around, it didn’t.

The team went on the road starting with a four game series with the Padres. San Francisco did win the first game of that series but was manhandled in the next three games. Next the Cubs swept them and the Giants were looking at a six game losing streak. The team now heads home and the way things are going right now, home is looking pretty darn good.

A closer look reveals a lack of offensive production, as well as problems on the mound. The inability to hold onto leads has been obvious and come from behind wins, well for right now, just are not happening.

This team continuously finds a way to lose. Right now they are 70-70 and in danger of falling below .500. If the season ended today, there would be no wild card for the Giants this season. Thankfully the season has a bit more to go but it is waning with only 22 games and San Francisco cannot continue on the course that they are on right now.

So who is to blame? Right now there is plenty of blame to go around. Many players are struggling and they do have some promising rookies but they need time to mature. So who wants to be accountable for this decline.

So far the answer is no one. It’s hard to believe that the team’s batting average is .214 since the break. There is someone falling short in this conversation whether it is the players, the coaching or the front office. Someone is responsible for the downfall of this team.

They are in a free fall right now and how long will fans continue to support this uninspiring, and at times ugly baseball. It wasn’t that long ago that the Giants won 107 games in a season, that being 2021.

We have heard they’re still “in the hunt” ad nauseum. Offensively, this team needs to wake up the bats. They are not in a slump anymore, this is a trend and it could very well spell missing the playoffs this season.

Right now they are below average offensively with a high strikeout rate, the fourth worst in baseball. They have hit 136 homeruns this year which is 20th in baseball. The only bright spot is Wilmer Flores who is the exception on this team right now.

Leaving runners stranded has become commonplace. San Francisco is in a tough place right now and righting this ship has happen sooner rather than later because they are running out of later.

The Giants will begin a three game series with the Colorado Rockies Friday night. Colorado is a team that has struggled this season and San Francisco under most circumstances would be a favorite to win the series. The Giants will send Kyle Harrison to the mound with a 1-1 win/loss record and a 4.70 ERA. Ty Blach (2-1 ERA 4.33) will get the nod for Colorado with first pitch at 7:15PM.