SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JULY 11: Brandon Crawford #35 of the San Francisco Giants throws to first base off balance but not in time to get Starlin Castro #13 of the Washington Nationals in the top of the second inning at Oracle Park on July 11, 2021 in San Francisco, California. The Giants are wearing an alternate uniform called City Connect. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Perhaps, the biggest surprise of the first half of the season is that the SF Giants have the best record in baseball at 57-32. However, that would be too easy of a choice. It is not just the record, but how they got to that record that stands out.

SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

1. The starting rotation has the third-best ERA in baseball

When the 2020 season ended, the front office was tasked with rebuilding the starting rotation on the fly. Johnny Cueto and Logan Webb were the only incumbents and both were coming off of disastrous seasons. To put it differently, there was a lot of work to be done.

The Giants got started by issuing a one-year, $18.9 million qualifying offer to Kevin Gausman, which he accepted. Then, they dished out a trio of one-year, pillow contracts to Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood, and Aaron Sanchez. On top of this, Sammy Long was reeled in on a minor-league pact with an invite to spring training.

There was plenty of risk with this approach. DeSclafani and Wood battled ineffectiveness as well as injuries in 2020, whereas Sanchez missed the entire year as he recovered from shoulder surgery.

This was a strategy that could have fell flat on its face. Some of that risk came to fruition as many Giants starters have spent time on the shelf in 2021, but as a unit, they have been one of the best in baseball. The starting rotation has combined to post the third-best ERA in baseball at 3.18, behind only the New York Mets (2.98 ERA) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2.94 ERA).

Kevin Gausman was the ace of the rotation in 2020 and he has elevated his status in 2021 to one of the best pitchers in baseball. On the year, he has registered a 1.73 ERA and a 4.43 SO/W ratio across 114.2 frames while earning a National League All-Star bid.

Behind Gausman, DeSclafani has emerged as a formidable No. 2 option, pitching to the tune of a 2.68 ERA in 107.1 innings. The right-handed hurler did not earn an all-star bid and that decision remains questionable.

Aside from these two pitchers, Wood, Sanchez, and Cueto have all put together quality innings when healthy. In the case of Sanchez, he has not pitched since the beginning of May as he has battled bicep tightness and a blister. In comparison to Sanchez, Wood and Cueto have been more durable, giving the Giants 15 and 14 starts, respectively.

Like the three mentioned above, Webb has spent time on the injured list. That said, it does feel like he has taken the next step in his development. When healthy, the 24-year-old has racked up high strikeout totals, induced plenty of weak contact, and he has demonstrated improved command. It has been a really encouraging first half for Webb.

As a whole, the starting rotation has performed well and that is probably the most surprising part of this season. However, it is far from the only surprising part.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – MAY 31: Kean Wong #8 of the Los Angeles Angels slides into third base with a triple past Evan Longoria #10 of the San Francisco Giants in the top of the fifth inning at Oracle Park on May 31, 2021 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

2. Improved defense

Anyone who watched the Giants play in 2020 saw a team that struggled badly on defense. Perhaps, the biggest contributor was just the unique circumstances of the pandemic-shortened season. Teams did not have enough time to prepare for the year, and the Giants looked rusty in the field right out the gates.

The 2021 season has been a different story entirely. The SF Giants have brought in plenty of bat-first players in recent years who had experience at multiple positions. Defensive acumen was not necessarily a primary concern in the decision-making process.

Nevertheless, the Giants are grading out nicely according to the defensive metrics. In terms of Outs Above Average (OAA), the Giants have been worth 28 OAA, which ranks as tied for first with the Tampa Bay Rays. Furthermore, they have been worth 30 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), ranking as seventh-best in baseball.

It is truly a stark contrast to just a couple of seasons ago when San Francisco had one of the worst defensive outfields in baseball. Of course, the emergence of Steven Duggar has solidified the outfield as a defensive force along with Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr. That issue has resolved itself with better personnel, whereas the infield has always had plenty of strong defenders like Brandon Crawford, Evan Longoria, Brandon Belt, and Buster Posey.

What is causing the Giants’ defense to perform so well? It certainly has to do with instincts, range, and speed of many of the players, but positioning and shifting have to be a factor as well

The starting rotation has excelled at inducing ground balls, and the defense has done well to convert many of those ground balls into outs. Ground balls can sneak through the infield, but it seems as if every ground ball finds a glove that results in an out.

It is fair to say that few expected the Giants’ defense to perform as well as it has and the defensive metrics agree. It might be too early to talk about regular season awards, but Brandon Crawford has made a strong case to earn his fourth National League Gold Glove Award at shortstop. At 34 years old, he is doing what no one expects a player of his age to do at a premium position and that is a bit of a microcosm of the Giants defense as whole.

OAKLAND, CA – JUNE 27: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants bats during the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park on June 27, 2021 in San Francisco, California. The Athletics defeated the Giants 6-2. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /

SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

3. The veteran core’s shocking production

The SF Giants have the best record in baseball thanks in large part to the production they have received from the veteran core. Just a couple of years ago, Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, Evan Longoria, and Brandon Crawford all looked to be on the downhill of their respective careers.

However, each player is showing that he still has plenty of good baseball in front of him. In fact, both Crawford and Posey earned National League All-Star bids.

The Giants have the most home runs in baseball and they have the highest OPS (.764) in the National League to go along with the second-highest OPS+ (109). They are third in baseball in walk rate (10.3%) and they have the highest ISO (.190), which is a good measure of raw power.

In a lot of ways, the veteran core has carried the Giants on offense:

Posey: .328/.421/.547 line (165 OPS+), 8 doubles, 12 home runs, 28 RBI, and 2.3 WAR in 233 plate appearances.
Crawford: .289/.364/.556 line (149 OPS+), 15 doubles, 1 triple, 18 home runs, 58 RBI, and 4.0 WAR in 302 plate appearances
Belt: .253/.363/.512 line (138 OPS+), 7 doubles, 2 triples, 11 home runs, 28 RBI, and 1.2 WAR in 201 plate appearances
Longoria: .280/.376/.516 line (143 OPS+), 11 doubles, 9 home runs, 30 RBI, and 1.7 WAR in 186 plate appearances.

Of course, all four players stabilize the defense as way, so their impact is on both sides of the ball. In the case of Belt and Longoria, they have been productive players when healthy but both have spent significant time on the injured list as well.

The hope is that they both return early in the second half of the season to give the Giants a jolt comparable to a midseason trade acquisition. Giants manager Gabe Kapler is following Longoria’s sage advice by letting the old guys play and that has paid dividends.

Related Story. SF Giants: Grading the 2021 draft class

San Francisco would not be in the position it is in without the veteran core. And, they will need continued production from these four players to have a shot at making the playoffs. A lot can change between now and the end of the season, but plenty of Giants players are proving that they have a lot left in the tank.

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SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

SF Giants: Three biggest surprises from the first half of 2021

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