The 2026 Giants season has been a rollercoaster ride, with a month of ups and downs that have left fans both confused and optimistic. As an expert commentator, I've been asked a lot of questions about the team's performance, and my initial answers were always cautious, given the early stage of the season. But as I delved deeper into the team's struggles and successes, I found myself surprisingly forgiving, reminded of the 2000 Giants who kept me engaged despite their initial questions and answers.
The Giants' current problems aren't the ones they were supposed to have, and that's a good thing. The bullpen, the back end of the rotation, and the defense on the right side of the infield were my biggest concerns before the season, but they've all been addressed in some ways. The bullpen has landed on a reasonable arrangement, the rotation has a new frontline starter emerging, and the defense is improving.
However, the biggest problems have been Devers' inability to hit, Bader's lack of contributions, Patrick Bailey hitting like a pitcher, the back end of the rotation, and Webb not pitching like himself. These issues are serious, but they're also mitigated somewhat by the team's recent successes and the emergence of new players.
The Giants have won each of their last three series, including one against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and they've scored six runs or more in back-to-back games just twice this season. They've also managed to lose four in a row to the Mets and Phillies teams that were described as being in a bottomless pit. This is not the same quicksand as the Mets, Phillies, or Red Sox, and that's a good thing.
In my opinion, the Giants are an under-.500 team for reasons they weren't expecting, but that's a heckuva lot better than the alternative. The biggest problems right now are that Webb needs to pitch better and Devers needs to hit more. And when you put it like that, it doesn't seem too scary to be emotionally invested in the 2026 Giants. Watch your step, for sure, but you can also watch the games without both hands covering your eyes. This team might be a couple of tweaks away from letting you take your hands away from your face completely.
