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3 popular former SF Giants players who are still in the playoffs

By Jeff Young |
Division Series - Minnesota Twins v Houston Astros - Game Two
Division Series - Minnesota Twins v Houston Astros - Game Two / Bob Levey/GettyImages
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For the time being, there are eight teams remaining in the playoffs with several of these teams featuring some popular former SF Giants players. In case you are looking for a guide for who to root for this postseason, we have you covered.

3 popular former SF Giants players who are still in the playoffs

Outside of just players, the Giants also have two former managers managing in the playoffs. This includes Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros and Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers. Bochy came out of retirement to manage the Rangers and that is looking like a very good choice.

The longtime manager just knows how to push all of the right buttons to get the best out of his players. On a similar note, Baker exudes a calmness that has his players playing at their best when the lights are the brightest.

Outside of these two, there are several former Giants players who are still looking to make a deep run in October.

1. Minnesota Twins infielder Donovan Solano

The Giants signed Donovan Solano to a minor league deal prior to the 2019 season. During that contract, the veteran infielder experienced a career resurgence. In three seasons with the Giants, Solano tallied a .789 OPS while providing plenty of clutch hits and gritty at-bats.

Since his time with San Francisco came to an end after the 2021 campaign, Solano has made stops with both the Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins. His stint with the Twins has him reaching the playoffs for just the second time in his career.

The right-handed bat put together a respectable season, slashing .282/.369/.391 (110 OPS+) with five home runs, 38 RBI, and 43 runs in 450 plate appearances. Earlier in his career, Solano was a glove-first utility player, but his profile has shifted more in favor of his bat over the past few seasons.

The 35-year-old appeared briefly at second base and third base this year while seeing the bulk of his time at first base. Even though he has not put on a Giants uniform for a couple of seasons, he is still well-remembered for his contributions to a team that won 107 games.

Speaking of former Giants players, is it too soon to mention his teammate Carlos Correa? I'll see myself out.

Houston Astros v Cleveland Guardians
Houston Astros v Cleveland Guardians / Nick Cammett/GettyImages

3 popular former SF Giants players who are still in the playoffs

2. Houston Astros infielder Mauricio Dubón

Giants fans had hoped that Mauricio Dubón would carve out a role with San Francisco but it just did not happen. The 29-year-old grew up a Giants fan and had a personality to cheer for during his time in the orange and black.

In parts of four seasons, the right-handed bat registered a .259/.302/.396 line (89 OPS+) with the Giants. San Francisco asked him to work out in center field and he adapted to the position with ease. Though, they had hoped he would be able to produce more with the bat. Plus, the emergence of Thairo Estrada nudged him off of the roster.

In May of 2022, the Giants shipped him to the Houston Astros in an ill-fated move for a catching prospect. That move has paid off nicely for Houston as Dubón has played a pretty important role for an Astros team is one win away from the ALCS.

The 2023 season was his best one yet as he tallied a .720 OPS with 10 home runs while filling in admirably with José Altuve on the injured list. The versatile glove continued to find playing time even after Altuve returned thanks to his ability to handle multiple positions well.

Division Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two
Division Series - Arizona Diamondbacks v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Two / Kevork Djansezian/GettyImages

3 popular former SF Giants players who are still in the playoffs

3. Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Evan Longoria

I know everyone has their own favorites in terms of former Giants, but it would be hard to find one to root harder for given the circumstances. The underdog Arizona Diamondbacks have a commanding 2-0 lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Evan Longoria is no longer the player he was earlier in his career, but he is playing the role of the vocal leader for a young and energetic Diamondbacks team. The veteran third baseman made a name for himself with the Tampa Bay Rays earlier in his career and spent the previous five seasons before this one with the Giants.

The 38-year-old had some bright moments with San Francisco, including hitting a solo shot in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Dodgers. The Giants would win that game by a score of 1-0 due in large part to Longoria's heroics.

Longoria had a nice season with Arizona as he recorded a .717 OPS with 11 home runs in 237 plate appearances. He got off to a nice start but sustained a back strain midway through the year and his numbers tailed off at the end of the season. Regardless of how this season finishes, the 16-year veteran plans to continue his playing career after this season.

Giants fans hope that he can delay that decision a little longer while they focus on knocking the Dodgers out of the playoffs. Young teams usually need an experienced, veteran voice in the clubhouse, and for Arizona, Longoria has been exactly what they needed.

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