The Giants’ rotation hasn’t delivered a single bad start one time through the rotation (plus a squeezed-in extra start for Webb). Their 2.72 team ERA so far is fifth best in the majors — and they haven’t played a game at spacious Oracle Park yet. Also, their 1.74 bullpen ERA ranks third in the league, with the luxury of a developing double-closer situation.
Plus, there’s a fleet of young arms just biding time in Triple-A either as likely replacements when necessary or potential trade fodder this summer.
On the offensive side, the Giants have already hit 10 home runs, tied for sixth-most in the majors. That rate likely will drop during the homestand. Outside of the HRs, the Giants have been a middle-of-the-pack offense (ranking 22nd in on-base percentage, 12th in slugging, and 15th in OPS). But that’s while they wait for Adames, Bailey, and LaMonte Wade Jr. to heat up.
Notably, there was a push in spring training to try to steal more bases, and the Giants already have six in six games so far (by five different players), after stealing only 68 in 162 last year, which ranked second-to-last in the majors.
There’s some randomness involved, of course. The Giants’ best player so far has been Flores, who was banged up and awful last season. But he already has hit as many homers this season (four) as he hit all of last year in 214 at-bats.
How is this happening? Well, it works out like that sometimes. And you ride it for as long as you can. Then hope you get other random hot streaks over 162 games.
The Giants’ entire 2021 season, when they started out fast and raced to 107 wins in Posey’s final campaign as a player, was just like that almost every day. And Posey has cited that season several times as something that theoretically could be repeated at any time with the right players. It’s incredibly unlikely this season, but not impossible.
Just getting into the playoffs this season would be a major step forward. And the 5-1 start makes you wonder. There will be slumps and tougher days ahead. But the Giants feel like a stronger, more sustainable, and more cohesive team right now. That’s a major achievement all by itself, with only 156 games left to test it out.
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