It’s early May, but the San Francisco Giants already find themselves staring up a steep hill, and the climb is only getting tougher. Entering Friday night’s contest, the Giants sit at 14-23, a mark that’s left fans restless and the clubhouse searching for answers. Legendary Giant Will Clark, never one to mince words, issued a warning on his podcast with Eric Byrnes: “I’m a big believer in 'this is a long season and what goes wrong early can go right late', but you can’t dig yourself a friggin' pit that you can’t get yourself out of early in the year…If you start getting buried early in the year, then the snowball starts going down the mountain and you can’t get it going the other way.”
That snowball is picking up speed. The Giants have dropped eight of their last ten, and the mood around Oracle Park is tense. While the pitching staff has managed a respectable 3.96 ERA—good for 11th in MLB—the offense has sputtered, averaging just 3.1 runs per game. It’s a frustrating combination: solid pitching wasted by an anemic lineup that can’t seem to find a spark.
Clark’s comparison to the 2017 squad isn’t lost on anyone who’s watched the Giants for years. That team, projected for a solid season, stumbled out of the gate and never recovered. “There are bad starts to a season, and then there are hopeless starts. This feels more like a hopeless start similar to the one the team got off to in 2017,” Clark reflected. The 2017 roster at least boasted veterans who had helped deliver World Series championships. In contrast, many of the current high-paid players have yet to even lead the Giants to a playoff berth.
As the losses pile up, the questions multiply. Is there anyone who can help the Giants dig out of this hole? Clark sees hope in the youth movement, mentioning names like Bryce Eldridge, Daniel Susac, and Jesus Rodriguez as potential building blocks. But for now, the present looks grim, and the pressure is on to stop the freefall before it turns into a full-blown disaster.
One of the most intriguing storylines this month has been the Giants’ catching conundrum. Rookie Daniel Susac, a Rule 5 Draft pick, is making waves on his rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento. On May 7, Susac went 3-for-4 with two home runs as the designated hitter, a performance that’s sure to catch the eye of manager Tony Vitello and the front office. Before Friday’s game, Vitello spoke highly of Susac: “I really think with his approach and his mindset, you get a good at-bat every time.” Susac was hitting .478 (11-for-23) before landing on the injured list with right elbow ulnar neuritis, and his imminent return forces a tough decision on the Giants’ roster.
Meanwhile, Jesus Rodriguez has provided a jolt of energy since his call-up. Rodriguez, another rookie, has gone 4-for-9 with a home run and two RBIs, even making a start in right field to keep his bat in the lineup. On Friday, Rodriguez started again over the struggling Patrick Bailey and veteran Eric Haase. Haase, age 33, has appeared in only four games this season, making him a likely candidate for a roster move when Susac returns. Rodriguez’s versatility—he can play multiple positions around the diamond—adds another wrinkle to the decision-making process.
Patrick Bailey, despite his elite defensive reputation and two Gold Glove Awards, has struggled mightily at the plate, sporting a .396 OPS as of early May. Vitello acknowledged the tough situation: “I think he knows — obviously, the other guys do too — with two guys coming up, they’re not coming up to sit around. They’re coming up to try to help the team.” The Giants could option Bailey to the minors, thanks to his remaining options, but such a move would be bold given his defensive pedigree.
The catching carousel isn’t the only area where the Giants are searching for answers. Manager Vitello has been tinkering with the lineup, looking for any combination that might spark the offense. Infielder Casey Schmitt, who hasn’t played outfield since high school, has started working out in right field. “Right now, we’re just trying to ride out the storm a little bit because we know the offensive at-bats are going to get better and a lot of numbers will start to even out,” Vitello explained. “But in the meantime, we don’t want to be overly patient and just wait for things to click offensively.”
There’s no shortage of moving parts. Schmitt could see time in left or right field, and Rodriguez’s flexibility further complicates the daily lineup card. Outfielder Heliot Ramos and even center fielder Harrison Bader are in the mix for outfield shuffles, as the Giants try to squeeze every ounce of production from the roster while waiting for the bats to heat up.
Injury news continues to shape the Giants’ outlook. Second baseman Luis Arraez returned to the starting lineup on May 7 after missing two games with a sore left thumb, providing a welcome boost to the infield. On the pitching side, right-hander Jason Foley is set to begin a rehab assignment with Single-A San Jose on May 10 as he works back from right shoulder surgery. Left-hander Erik Miller will also start a rehab stint with Sacramento on May 10, while Sam Hentges is scheduled to pitch for Sacramento on May 8. Outfielder Jared Oliva is making progress from a left wrist hamate fracture, playing catch out to 75 feet and starting his swing progression. Left-hander Reiver Sanmartin is scheduled for live batting practice on May 9 in Arizona as he recovers from a right hip flexor strain.
One of the team’s few bright spots on the mound, ace Logan Webb, left his May 5 start after just four innings due to knee discomfort. Webb, who has been a workhorse for the Giants, is expected to make his next start, according to Vitello. “What’s best in the long run is a difficult conversation with that guy because he wants to man up, and therefore, he has manned up, and I think thrown more than anybody — I know last year, but maybe the last couple years,” Vitello said. “So, if there’s a delay in the start or even missing a start, it’s kind of like pulling teeth.”
For Giants fans, the hope is that the team can weather this early-season storm and avoid a repeat of the 2017 collapse. Will Clark’s warning looms large: if the Giants don’t halt the slide soon, the season could spiral out of control. With young talent like Susac, Rodriguez, and Eldridge showing promise, there’s at least a glimmer of optimism for the future. But for now, the Giants are desperate for a turnaround—because in baseball, sometimes all it takes is one big inning, one hot streak, or one breakout star to change the narrative. The next few weeks will tell if San Francisco can find that spark or if the snowball keeps rolling downhill.