San Francisco Giants hold off West Division rivals

The San Francisco Giants have imposed conditions on the National League West Division, above the Los Angeles Dodgers who are the defending World Series champions and the San Diego Padres have one of the most dynamic rosters in baseball.

With that kind of competition pushing them, the San Francisco Giants have been uncompromising. The Giants haven’t had a winning season since 2016, and they were certainly overshadowed by the Dodgers and Padres entering this one, but it has been clear for a while that San Francisco must be taken seriously.

Giants with heroes in most of the line up

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Giantess catcher CurtCasali is one of those who have remained as a replacement for BusterPosey. Photo: AP

The Giants have won 15 of their last 20 games. Not only do they have the best record in baseball, they are four games ahead of the Dodgers, the next best team.

How have they done it? The Giants lead the National League in home runs despite not having a player at 20. Brandon Crawford, their 34-year-old shortstop, is having a career year with the bat. He has 19 home runs, one of eight players on the team with at least 13.

Giants pitchers are pulling out the breed

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GiantsDominicLeoné’s pitcher reacts to a play from his teammates on defense. Photo: AP

They’ve come to the Giants in 2021 to bolster their pitching Kevin Gausman (11-5, 2.29 ERA) has pitched as a front-row starter this season, and Anthony DeSclafani (11-5, 3.29) has bounced back after a brutal 2020 with Cincinnati, they have reinforced a Giants pitching staff that did not give much hope.

If the San Francisco Giants hold out, that could put the Dodgers and Padres in a one-game wild-card showdown to start the postseason, with both teams facing the possibility of a quick elimination, though it’s also a double jeopardy.