San Francisco Giants: 5 things to watch for in the second half

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA – MAY 15: Shaun Anderson #64 of the San Francisco Giants making his Major League debut pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays in the top of the first inning at Oracle Park on May 15, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

1. Will the younger players become staples?

The San Francisco Giants have seen a number of younger players emerge from the minor league ranks this year.

On the pitching side of things, Shaun Anderson and Tyler Beede have both shown the potential to be solid MLB starters.

However, as we saw with Dereck Rodriguez, a solid debut does not guarantee continued success. The second half may tell us a lot about both of those young pitchers, and whether they can hold down a rotation spot in 2020 and beyond.

Hitters tend to figure out younger pitchers in their second years simply because there is more tape on them so they know what they are up against. It’s then up to the pitchers to make the necessary adjustments.

Aside from their performance, it will also be worth keeping an eye on whether the Giants decide to limit either pitcher’s innings total. New team president Farhan Zaidi has a history of preserving young arms, so we may see both Anderson and Beede rested or even sent down to the minors at some point in the second half to ensure they are not overworked.

When it comes to the lineup, the outfielders will be interesting to watch. Austin Slater has been on fire since he was called up, Mike Yastrzemski has shown flashes of power, and the previously injured Steven Duggar still offers an intriguing mix of speed and defense in center field. It is possible that this could be the starting outfield of the immediate future.

However, with Kevin Pillar hitting better of late and once again manning center field, it’s possible Duggar could spend some time at Triple-A until rosters expand in September.

Manager Bruce Bochy appears to be comfortable with the platoon he has going with Yastrzemski starting against righties and Slater against lefties, so we should get to see a lot of both players in the second half.

The San Francisco Giants have a lot of young talent that is going to get the opportunity to shine in the second half. Will they shine or will they falter?

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