3 decisions that doomed the SF Giants chances in 2022

Even though the SF Giants were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Saturday, it felt like their chances were dashed well before then. If a few extra breaks fell in their favor, maybe the season would have gone differently. With that being said, there are three decisions that led to them falling short of October baseball.

3 decisions that doomed the SF Giants chances in 2022

At 80-79, the Giants have a shot at finishing the season with over a .500 record. They will need to win at least two of the next three games against the San Diego Padres to do so. That is mildly impressive considering how frustrating this season has been in many facets of the game.

This could help in free agency as the front office will sell potential targets on the idea that they are not far off from playoff contention. Whether that is true in reality is up for debate.

Speaking of the front office, they made some critical decisions or non-decisions that have led to where the Giants are currently at. What are some of those that doomed them the most? We have our opinions on this and our friends at Giants Baseball Insider shared their perspectives as well.

1. Not re-signing Kevin Gausman

I will admit that it is a bit odd to single out the rotation. After all, it is the strength of the roster but could it have been even better? Giants starters combined to post a 3.69 ERA, 3.12 FIP, and a 16.8 fWAR. The FIP was the best mark in baseball, whereas the fWAR was the third-best in baseball.

In an unpopular move, the Giants decided not to retain Kevin Gausman and the righty confirmed that he did not receive a legitimate offer from the Giants. Instead, Gausman signed a five-year, $110 million pact with the Toronto Blue Jays. For the second consecutive season, Gausman will make an appearance in the postseason.

His first season with Toronto was not only a success from a team standpoint, but an individual standpoint as well. The 31-year-old hurler registered a 3.35 ERA, 2.38 FIP, 1.23 WHIP, 10.6 K/9, and a 7.32 SO/W ratio in 31 starts. He has proven to be a workhouse as he has made nearly every possible start since 2020.

The Giants had a legitimate 1-2 pitch with Carlos Rodón
and Logan Webb, but I wonder how the dynamic of that rotation would have looked with yet another co-ace to the rotation. That might have put them over the hump and turned them into a team that would have presented a challenge in the playoffs.

However, it never came to fruition despite the fact that San Francisco had more than enough payroll space to absorb Gausman's contract. That is one decision that really set the stage for the rest of the season.

3 decisions that doomed the SF Giants chances in 2022

3. Not prioritizing defense

This is a tough one because poor defense is usually a trait that quickly gets woven into a team's identity. You either can play defense or cannot play defense and you usually find out quickly what side of the spectrum the team is on.

For the Giants, they could not play defense. They had some really rough months with the glove in the middle of the year but the lack of execution followed them throughout the entire season. The Giants were officially eliminated on Saturday by a score of 8-4 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and it was a rather fitting end for this team.

Thairo Estrada committed a throwing error whereas there were a couple of defensive miscues in the outfield including Joc Pederson losing the ball in the sun. You cannot do anything about a player losing the ball in the sun because it happens sometimes.

However, it is hard to ignore that the front office built a roster that did not prioritize defense or versatility. The Giants defense posted -45 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and -28 Outs Above Average (OAA), which ranks as second-worst and third-worst, respectively, in baseball.

Giants outfielders combined to recorded -42 DRS and -24 OAA with both marks being the worst in baseball. Second base was another problem area with -19 DRS and -4 OAA. The point is, the defense was rough at nearly every position.

I suppose it is no surprise given that the Giants once had a roster that consisted of Tommy La Stella, Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf, Yermín Mercedes, and Joc Pederson all at the same time. None of the five mentioned are above-average fielders, and in many instances, they were playing out of position.

The team that executes better is usually the one that wins close games more often than not. At 21-27 in one-run games, the Giants just did not execute enough on defense and it likely led to less-than-stellar numbers for many of the Giants pitchers as well.

The front office cannot make that same miscalculation again. Once it is embedded in the team's identity, it is tough to fix. Defensive acumen needs to be a priority this winter, especially at premium positions.