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3 takeaways from the SF Giants series against the A's

By Jeff Young |
Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages
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The SF Giants split the two-game series against the Oakland A's. The 1-0 loss to the A's on Wednesday night snapped a five-game winning streak. Nevertheless, the Giants are off to a strong start with plenty of encouraging trends.

3 takeaways from the SF Giants series against the A's

San Francisco has been bitten by the injury bug to start the season, but they built up enough depth to withstand some injuries. LaMonte Wade Jr. (knee inflammation) and Tommy La Stella (Achilles) are poised to return soon with Evan Longoria (finger) not far behind.

None of the three have played an inning in 2022. They will all be welcomed additions as each one is expected to play an important role on this year's roster. However, Alex Cobb (abductor strain) and Anthony Desclafani (ankle inflammation) have hit the injured list whereas Zack Littell and Mike Yastrzemski have been placed on the COVID injured list.

Despite all of these injuries, the Giants have been able to stay strong while creating opportunities for new players. On the year, they have a 13-6 record with a +44 run differential.

1. Jakob Junis is off to a strong start

The injuries to the pitching staff have created opportunities for some new faces including Jakob Junis. The right-handed hurler spent the first five seasons of his career with the Kansas City Royals before signing with the Giants for a one-year, $1.75 million pact.

Junis has extensive experience, making 89 appearances during his stint with the Royals. Plus, he attacks the strike zone and has a minor league option remaining. That last detail certainly played a role in why the Giants signed him.

Nevertheless, it is a good thing that they did because Junis has made two long appearances with the Giants. Sam Long started the game on Wednesday night, allowing one earned run in one inning of work followed by five scoreless frames from Junis.

The 29-year-old pitcher allowed just four hits and one walk against six strikeouts against the A's. On the year, he has completed 10 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts against one walk.

The righty is an extreme strike-thrower and that had, at times, gotten him into trouble with the Royals as he allowed the long ball at too high of a frequency. Nevertheless, Junis has always flashed a quality slider and it looks like the Giants are trying to simplify his pitch mix by increasing the usage of that pitch.

So far, the returns have been promising. Alex Cobb and Anthony DeScafani are due back soon, but Junis should continue to see leverage innings before they do return.

Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages

3 takeaways from the SF Giants series against the A's

2. Wilmer Flores is off to a hot start

It is still early, so reading too much into the numbers can be an exercise in futility. That said, Wilmer Flores has been one of the Giants' most consistent hitters since signing with San Francisco before the 2020 season.

That is a move that is often overlooked, but Flores has offered good power and some defensive versatility. Plus, he is not a platoon hitter by any means as he posted solid numbers against both righties (113 wRC+) and lefties (123 wRC+) since joining San Francisco.

For a team that leans heavily on matchups, Flores is the type of hitter who brings stability to a lineup. He continued that trends in the series against the A's. The right-handed bat recorded a double and a home run with four RBI on Tuesday night.

This is the second time within the last week that the 30-year-old infielder has played an important role on offense. In a game against the Washington Nationals last Sunday, Flores registered three hits and three RBI while helping the Giants to scratch 12 runs across home plate.

On the year, he has posted a .266/.314/.438 line (120 wRC+) with two home runs and 12 RBI in 70 plate appearances. Flores has bolstered the offense while several key bats including Brandon Crawford and Darin Ruf have struggled in the early going.

Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages

3 takeaways from the SF Giants series against the A's

3. Joc Pederson's uncertain injury status

Joc Pederson has quickly become a popular player among Giants fans with his play on the field. When he signed a one-year, $6 million contract in the offseason, it felt like a solid addition but fans wanted more.

Pederson has held up his end of the bargain as he has began the season on a tear at the plate. In 55 plate appearances, the left-handed bat has slashed .353/.382/.745 (224 wRC+) with six home runs, 10 RBI, and 11 runs.

Interestingly enough, Giants manager Gabe Kapler has used Pederson atop the lineup and that is a move that has paid off nicely. He began last Sunday's game against the Washington Nationals with a leadoff homer to give the Giants an early lead.

Plus, the 30-year-old outfielder blasted a clutch, two-run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers to give the Giants a 2-1 advantage on Monday. The Brewers tied it back up momentarily, but Pederson's blast gave a huge confidence boost to the lineup after struggling against the reigning NL Cy Young award winner in Corbin Burnes.

However, Pederson tweaked his groin while running the bases on Wednesday night and had to be removed from the game as a precaution. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area confirms that the lefty bat will undergo an MRI.

An MRI generally results in a stint on the injured list. Hopefully, that is not the case with Pederson as he has been a catalyst to the offense. The Giants will know more before Friday night's game against the Nationals.

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