Tag: giants

Webb shines as Giants sweep Rockies in 4-0 win, finish season .500

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb throws against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, in San Francisco (AP photo: Thien-An Truong)

By Vince Cestone

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants ended the 2025 season strong behind Logan Webb’s 5 1/3 shutout innings, as they beat the Colorado Rockies 4-0 at Oracle Park on Sunday afternoon.

Webb, in his final start of the season, struck out 8 in his five-plus innings, while walking none. The Giants’ ace righty struck out the side in the first inning.

Webb finished 2025 leading the National League in innings (207) and strikeouts (224). He’s the first to do so since 1944.

The sold-out Oracle Park crowd showed their appreciation for Webb’s dominant season with a standing ovation.

The Giants offense started the game strong, as shortstop Willy Adames smacked his 30th homer of the year on the first pitch of the game. Adames became the first Giant since 2004 to hit at least 30 home runs in a season. Barry Bonds hit 45 home runs in 2004.

The Giants scored again in the fourth inning on a solo home run by Rafael Devers. Devers finished the season with 35 home runs, combined between Boston and San Francisco.

The Giants’ bullpen held the Rockies scoreless after Webb departed in the sixth.

The Giants tacked on two more runs in the eighth inning on a 2-RBI single by Jung Hoo Lee. Lee ended the day 3-for-4 with 2 RBI.

The Giants ended the year going 11-2 against the Rockies, but it wasn’t enough wins for the Giants to get into the postseason. It turns out that 84 wins would’ve been enough for the Giants to get into the 2025 MLB Playoffs.

San Francisco ended 2025 at 81-81.

The Giants will now go into the offseason trying to figure out why they finished the year at or around .500 yet again. After the game, Adames and third baseman Matt Chapman addressed the sold-out crowd promising that next year will be better.

But Giants fans have heard the same thing after season finales since 2022. Will 2026 be different?

Stay with Sports Radio Service all offseason for the latest San Francisco Giants hot stove news.

Giants Allow The Dodgers To Breathe in 5-2 Loss That Concludes the Season’s First Half

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San Francisco Giant starter Robbie Ray pitched six innings allowing three hits and two runs and six strikeouts against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park in San Francisco on Sun July 13, 2025 (Bay Area News Group photo)

By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Needing a big win, the Giants instead got another reminder that their struggling offense needs a break.

That break comes over the next five days for the All-Star festivities in Atlanta after they squandered an opportunity to tighten the race in the NL West with a 5-2 loss in 11 innings to the first-place Dodgers.

The Giants conclude the first 96 games of the season with a competitive 52-44 record that has them in position to grab one of the six NL playoff spots. But their .230 team batting average ranks 26th of 30 teams, and serves as a constant reminder the season could go south quickly.

“We have some guys that are coming around a little bit,” manger Bob Melvin said of his team’s offense. “We have some guys that will come around a little bit more. We have some guys in the middle of the lineup that are going to do more damage.”

“I think the win-loss, the standings are great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But I think there’s just a lot of improvement that we need to do, we need to be better at.”

On Sunday, in front of a sold out Oracle Park crowd, the Giants went scoreless over the first eight innings only to be rescued by Luis Matos’ game-tying, pinch-hit home run. After starter Yoshinobo Yamamoto and crafty reliever Alex Vesia manipulated the Giants into a string of outs, Matos gave the home team unexpected life. But they barely breathed, going hitless the rest of the game.

Robbie Ray was All-Star worthy, allowing just two runs in six innings, but he got no support. That lack of help prevented Ray from gaining a 10th victory before the All-Star break. Ray expertly avoided Shohei Ohtani and allowed just three hits, but departed trailing 2-0. Miguel Rojas surprised Ray with his home run in the fifth that increased the Dodgers’ lead.

The two extra frames offered a baseball-only juxtaposition with the Dodgers stringing together three hits despite all coming off weak contact to plate three runs. Meanwhile, the Giants were denied when Rafael Devers’ rocket to center in the 10th was tracked down by James Outman.

“Ball 106 mph off the bat there,” Melvin recounted. “They hit balls like what 40 mph in the last inning? It’s just the way it is sometimes.”

Spencer Bivens took the loss despite retiring Mookie Betts and Will Smith after the decision was made to walk Ohtani to leadoff the inning. Ben Casparius got the win despite almost getting victimized by Devers.

The Giants open the season’s second half in Toronto against the AL East-leading Blue Jays on Friday night.

During the game’s final inning the Giants selected Tennessee Volunteers’ shortstop Gaven Kilen with the 13th overall pick of the 2025 MLB Draft.

Giants fire Zaidi replace him with Posey; Firing was a long anticipated event

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Buster Posey takes over as the San Francisco Giants new team president as on Mon Sep 30, 2024 replacing former Giants president Farhan Zaidi (photo from mlb.com)

By Lewis Rubman and Stephen Ruderman

SAN FRANCISCO–After six seasons the San Francisco Giants have moved on from team president Farhan Zaidi and have replaced him with former Giants catcher and part owner Buster Posey. Zaidi had one more year left on his guaranteed contract as the Giants missed going to the playoffs for the third straight year.

The Giants who completed their regular season finished two games below .500 at 80-82 and were 453-417 during Zaidi’s six year tenure. Under Zaidi the Giants had one winning year. Zaidi had hired former Giants manager Gabe Kapler who was later fired after the 2023 season. It was under Kapler the Giants had that one winning season in 2021 when San Francisco won 107 games.

The firing on Monday marks the second big firing the Giants have made after Kapler now Zaidi being the second. Zaidi was mentioned by critics as someone the Giants should have let go with Kapler after the 2023 season. The Giants hiring of Bob Melvin for the 2024 season was a positive and gave Zaidi one last chance to steer the club to a winning season which it failed to do.

Beginning and during the 2024 season under Zaidi the Giants spent over$320 million on signing free agents Jung Hoo Lee, Blake Snell, Matt Chapman, Jorge Soler, Jordan Hicks and Tom Murphy. The Giants also added Robbie Ray to their pitching core signing a player that wouldn’t be available until July for another $74 million. The Giants were hoping the moves would pay off as they also gave up two draft picks, it didn’t they ended up going over the luxury tax for the first time since 2017.

Posey was instrumental in getting Chapman signed on Sep 5th to a six year $151 million contract that will keep Chapman in San Francisco through 2030. After the Chapman signing some in the media said that Posey would be a good fit for team president to replace Zaidi. Posey was also instrumental in helping those World Series teams win during his time as catcher and he might be able to get the Giants to the post season under his presidency.

Giants general manager Peter Putila someone no one ever really mentions in the press about what his role was in the Zaidi firing as of now still remains team general manager.

Lewis Rubman and Stephen Ruderman are both Giants beat writers at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s 2024 season wrap up with Stephen Ruderman

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Former San Francisco Giants Jorge Soler who was dealt to the Atlanta Braves during the 2024 season. Was his leaving San Francisco something that impacted the Giants line up? (AP News photo)

On the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s 2024 season wrap up with Stephen Ruderman:

San Francisco Giants: After a mediocre 2024 season it’s the hope for the San Francisco Giants that they’ll be better. The status regarding Giants team president Farhan Zaidi is yet to be determined and most likely it will be figured Monday. Zaidi was signed to an extension last season but he’s been very much been on the hot seat this season.

The Giants didn’t want him to be a lame duck, they didn’t want him to negotiate with free agents and the Giants have failed to make the playoffs and they failed to finish over .500 finishing 2024 80-82 losing their last game of the season on Sunday 6-1.

Farhan is a very smart guy he had his weird successes he started in 2019-2022. He’s had a hard time managing the day to day operations he’s a new age guy and you don’t let the new age guys run the show and hopefully that will be announced on Monday.

Sacramento A’s: Regarding the A’s move to Sacramento an artificial turf expert said went on Friday’s show and said temperatures can range from 160-180 degrees on the field at Sutter Health Park. Now the Players Association they cannot veto the Sacramento move.

However, the MLBPA to the conditions and they could kind of defacto veto it and not agree to the conditions. The way it’s set up the players will not be able to play on natural grass. One rumor is that the Giants minor league team the Rivercats would go to Fresno but good luck with that and they would have to put artificial turf in Fresno.

Stephen Ruderman covered San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s baseball at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

The Ryan Walker Era Doesn’t Come With Frills and Extras

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By Morris Phillips

SAN FRANCISCO–Ryan Walker embraces opportunity and upward mobility. But he’s not ascending with thoughts of adding an entourage, theme music, or a mood-setting game entrance.

Instead, Walker’s setting the tone with his sinker and the maintenance of his low-key demeanor. Yeah, he’s got a beard and a hint of swag, but no, he’s not Brian Wilson 2.0 or Sergio Romo.

He’s Ryan Walker, selected by the Giants in the now-defunct 31st round of 2018 draft, and he doesn’t pontificate. Actually, he mumbles a bit. And he’s the Giants’ new closer in place of the demoted Camilo Doval.

“I was really excited for the opportunity,” Walker said. “I never really thought this could happen.”

What’s happened is quite unlikely. Beyond Walker being drafted so late, four years passed before he got his big league promotion. And when he arrived in San Francisco, his ceiling was being a setup man, or so he thought.

But the Giants started to think differently when Walker’s sinker, slider combination showed refinement, and his strikeout numbers increased. The final step was harnessing his control and lowering his walk rate.

Then the unforseen happened when Camilo Doval struggled to the point he went from National League All-Star closer in 2023 to Pacific Coast League reclamation project. First, the fans built a groundswell of support for Walker–along with disdain for Doval’s shortcomings–and team president Farhan Zaidi and manager Bob Melvin shockingly followed suit.

“Could we have put (Doval) in a lesser role?” Melvin pondered. “I don’t know that it would help. I think that some of the issues that he needs to work on would be easier to do somewhere else than the big leagues. He’s an All-Star. We expect him to come back and be an All-Star.”

Melvin also stated Walker’s case beyond his effective sinker, slider combo that mirrors Saturday’s starter, Logan Webb.

He’s pretty good,” Melvin said prior to Saturday’s game. “Probably had our toughest role in that he would come in with guys on base all the time, and a lot of times go out for the next inning.”

Walker’s been described as a pitcher who sets the table with his sinker, which tops out at 97 mph, and confounds hitters with his slider at 84 mph. Called on to protect a 3-1 lead, the right-hander threw nine sliders and nine sinkers, and struck out Dillon Dingler and Javier Baez to end the game. Walker also ramped up the tension by allowing two of the first three hitters, Gio Urshela and Bligh Madris, to reach, giving the 28-year old a true first test as closer.

“Awesome. Nerve-racking,” he said.

Already this season, Walker has compiled a major-league leading 59 appearances, including eight in which he’s pitched more than an inning. Even more appealing, he has 73 strikeouts in 61 1/3 innings work. His 2.20 ERA is half of what Doval built up, and he’s all business.

Could Walker take this once-in-a-baseball-life opportunity and run with it?

He could. Just don’t expect him to expound on his good fortune in a show of self-promotion.

Marlins pitching stifles the Giants offense 1-0

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Photo courtesy of San Francisco Giants. Patrick Bailey gets his first career hit in the MLB against the Marlins on May 20th, 2023.

By Titus Wilkinson (@TitusWisme)

SAN FRANCISCO- The Giants offense went cold in the second game of their series against the Marlins losing by a final of 1-0.

Starting in this one for the Giants was Logan Webb sporting a 3-5 record with a 3.20 ERA. While for the Marlins Braxton Garret was on the bump with a 1-2 record and 5.40 ERA.

Things got off to an exciting start in the first inning as Thairo Estrada leading off got a base hit setting the Giants up early for offense. Estrada also stole a base but SF could not capitalize as the Marlins got out of the inning unscathed.

After that first inning Garret went on an absolute tear not allowing another hit until he was relieved in the seventh inning. On top of that Garret at one point sat down 15-straight Giants batters before that streak was broken up by catchers interference in the seventh inning.

Webb also pitched a great one as he threw his sixth-consecutive quality start of the season in this game. In the seventh Webb was relieved as according to manager Gabe Kapler he was dealing with some “lower back tightness.” Kapler did not elaborate any further.

In the eighth with Tyler Rodgers now pitching for the Giants J.D. Davis would commit a costly error that let Garret Hampson get on base. Xavier Edwards then advanced him to second on a sacrifice bunt and finally Jon Berti sent him home on a line drive single to right field.

Michael Conforto on that hit attempted to make a throw home but Patrick Bailey could not come up with the ball as Hampson came in safe. Rogers did finish the inning and did not allow another hit as he cleaned up nicely the rest of the inning.

The bottom of the eight also had some excitement as Patrick Bailey got his first career MLB hit. Bryce Johnson followed that up with a single of his own meaning the Giants had two on with two outs. Estrada came up but grounded out leaving two on base and setting up for a big bottom of the ninth for the white-and-orange.

The top of the ninth saw the Giants commit another error as on a throw to first Lamonte Wade Jr. dropped a ball thrown to him. The play had to be reviewed as originally Bryan De La Cruz who got the hit was called out but after the review they reversed the call meaning Cruz was safe.

Despite the error Camilo Doval pitched a great rest of the inning striking out two batters giving the Giants a great chance to respond in the bottom of the inning.

With Dylan Floro to close things out for the Marlins he did just that striking out both Conforto and Davis giving the Marlins the victory 1-0.

“With respect to the way we swung the bat I think we could do a better job than we did collectively as a team today,” manager Gabe Kapler said after the game.

It was a frustrating game for the Giants who played great defensively coming up with two double plays against the Marlins. However, the bats could not get anything going leaving four on base and only mustering three hits.

The Giants will play the third and final game of their home series against the Marlins at 1:05 p.m. were they hope to walk away with the series victory.

Giants rally for four runs in 11th defeat Brewers 9-6

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San Francisco Giants Brandon Belt connects for a two run home run in the 11th inning. The Giants scored four runs in the top of the 11th to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park on Sat Aug 7, 2021 (AP News photo)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo 

~ August 7, 2021

~ With the game almost written as San Francisco Giants (70-41) was down to their final out, speed and defense combined to change the game and the Giants got the final lift and their 70th win in 11 innings defeating the Milwaukee Brewers (66-45) 9-6. 

While it was another close 2-1 game, extra innings for the second game in a row for both clubs was not necessarily on the radar. It was, though, San Francisco’s third extended game in a row.  

After the Giants were completely shut off the bases the last four innings, a leadoff single to Kris Bryant in the ninth and a misplay by Avisail Garcia in right field, re-tied the game.

Pitcher Brent Suter had come in for the ninth and got Mike Yastrzemski and pinch-hitter Darin Ruf to line and strike out respectively in between. Tommy La Stella was the batter who hit the ball to right field as he made it to third.

Tyler Rogers came in to take down the Brewers in order to bring San Francisco back up to bat.

Milwaukee had to make two pitching changes in the tenth. Miguel Sanchez came in and San Francisco put in pinch-runner Thairo Estrada for Wilmer Flores at second. LaMonte Wade hit a leadoff single and got to second on an error made by Garcia.

Sanchez then issued an intentional walk to Brandon Belt to load the bases and Buster Posey made it 4-2 with a single up the middle. Brandon Crawford then used a sacrifice fly to make it 5-2 before Sanchez walked Bryant and then went off the mound in favor of pitcher Angel Perdomo.

Perdomo got Yastrzemski out, a balk added insult to injury to help runners advance and then Perdomo intentionally walked pinch-hitter Austin Slater to reload the bases before getting the final out. 

The Brewers fought back in huge fashion. Manny Pina hit a leadoff home run to make it a one-run game. One out later, Willy Adames tied the game for the fourth time with his own home run. 

However, the Giants were not to be outdone, scoring four more runs in the 11th that would finally be enough cushion. With one out, Wade made it 6-5 and Belt followed with his second home run to make it 8-5. A Posey single, Crawford groundout and a Bryant double rounded out the 9-6 game.

Milwaukee added that sixth run in the bottom with two outs as Cain singled in Garcia. Cain stole second but Manny Pina popped out to seal the night. Jake McGee, San Francisco’s ninth pitcher got the win and Sal Romano, the Brewers’ seventh, suffered the loss. 

Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff had San Francisco batters swinging the right way in this  matchup of the top two teams in baseball.

Woodruff, with the lowest MLB run support, only had one run backing him in each of his two previous losses, with an additional run in this no decision. He started off efficiently, striking out five of the 10 straight batters he retired. Woodruff threw for six innings, giving up six hits, one run, and one walk while striking out eight. 

Opposing starter Aaron Sanchez, starting for the first time since May 4th, lasted two innings, giving up four hits and one run as he threw 46 pitches. 

The Brewers’ Eduardo Escobar got the hitting going with a double in the bottom of the first inning. Milwaukee also got the Giants’ bullpen active in the second with runners on first and second and one out as Sanchez’s pitches climbed.

Milwaukee made it on base each inning so far and the third was no exception as Sanchez Issued a leadoff walk to Kolten Wong. Adames took advantage, bringing Wong back to home plate with a RBI double.  This took Sanchez out and brought in former Brewers’ pitcherJay Jackson. 

In the fourth, the Giants finally broke through Woodruff with Belt’s second home run in as many games, both coming with one out. Posey and Crawford then followed up with base hits and Bryant got a walk to load the bases. After the second mound visit of the inning, Woodruff was able to keep his strikeout per inning streak alive, getting Yastrzemski. Woodruff then got Alex Dickerson to pop out to keep the game tied. 

It did not take long for Milwaukee to thank Woodruff for keeping the game close as Tyrone Taylor led off with a triple and Cain made it 2-1 with a sacrifice fly in the second half. 

San Francisco got more runners in scoring position with one out but Woodruff was able to get the final out by strikeout. This happened in the fifth when Donovan Solano, pinch hitting for the second game in a row, hit a one-out double on his ninth pitch of his at-bat. In the sixth, Crawford and Bryant got on first and second with singles. 

The bottom of the sixth was the first time the Giants kept the Brewers off the bases.

Mikwaukee’s Christian Yelich made his return from the Covid-19 injury list, pinch hitting in the seventh. 

Up Next: The Giants will be back at it to finish the series Sunday at 11:10am before returning home. 

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Excitement builds, Yastrzemski scheduled to play all 3 games at Fenway Park

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photo from sfgate.com: San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski scores after hitting a solo home run during the 11th inning of a baseball game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Friday, Aug. 16, 2019, in Phoenix. It was Yastrzemski’s third home run of the game. It was Yastrzemski’s third home run of the game.

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 Whose got to be more excited about Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski playing at Fenway Park? Starting on Tuesday night, Yastrzemski, his grandfather former Boston Red Sox Carl Yastrzemski or our very own MLB analyst Bill Gould?

#2 On Sunday against the Miami Marlins, Yastrzemski scored on a diving head first slide to score one of the Giants’ two runs, which was enough to get by the Marlins 2-1. Yaz is having a rookie season hitting .265, 56 runs, 87 hits, and 51 RBIs.

#3 Giants starter Johnny Cueto pitched five innings of shutout ball and gave up three hits in the win. The Giants had five pitchers come into relieve after Cueto left and they combined to hold off the Marlins to just one run.

#4 This is kind of a special series besides of the reunion of grandfather and grandson Yastrzemski. The Giants, who do not play at Fenway except for every three years. This is a special place for them to return to since it doesn’t happen often to come to a historical place like Fenway.

#5 This will be Giants manager Bruce Bochy’s last road trip as manager. The Giants conclude their 2019 road schedule in Boston and then to Atlanta. Pablo Sandoval, who was a Red Sox but not on this trip, wouldn’t quite expect the same reception Yaz will.

Morris Phillips does the Giants podcast each Sunday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips: Giants’ two wins in Oakland puts SF four games back in NL wild card

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sfgate.com photo: San Francisco Giants’ Kevin Pillar, right, slides into home to score a run next to Oakland Athletics catcher Chris Herrmann during the second inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif.

On the Giants podcast with Morris:

#1 The Giants took two from the Oakland A’s. It was something that was not expected after the A’s had took three out of four from the Astros and swept the Yankees.

#2 With the wins, the Giants cut their games back number from six to four. Manager Bruce Bochy in the past has brought Giants teams back from the doldrums to get into postseason. Does this team have faith?

#3 Special day for San Francisco third baseman Evan Longoria, who got his 1000th career RBI — a two-run single in the top of the seventh at the Coliseum to cap the Giants’ win 5-4.

#4 Longoria was key. He hit his 17th home run of the season. The Giants won by a run and needed every bit of luck they could muster. Was it a series that showed that they’ve haven’t given up?

#5 The Arizona Diamondbacks are in the City for a three-game series with the Giants. It’s another crucial series in the Giants’ bid for the wild card. For the D-Backs, Alex Young (5-3, 4.04 ERA), and for the Giants, Tyler Beede (3-7, 5.82 ERA).

Morris is the podcast host for Giants baseball each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com