3 takeaways from the SF Giants series loss to the Seattle Mariners
It's no secret that the SF Giants have cooled off over their past three series after a fantastic run against the NL West, and now, they will be looking for a big series win before the much anticipated All-Star break.
3 takeaways from the SF Giants series loss to the Seattle Mariners
Heading into their second last series before the break, the Giants were looking to take down a talented Mariners squad, but with struggles on both sides of the ball, they came up short losing one game to two against the talented Seattle squad.
But what can we learn about the Giants as they fall to 47-40 on the year, sitting 3 games out of first place in the NL West with a showdown against the Colorado Rockies looming? Read on to find out.
1. Up and down series for our SF Giants All-Star
The SF Giants closer Camilo Doval has been electric all season long, showing why he thoroughly deserved to be the team's representative at the All-Star Game, but unfortunately, he had a very up-and-down series in just two appearances.
Coming into a 2-2 ballgame in game one of the series, Doval went on to allow four earned runs on three hits, and with the Giants responding with just three runs in the bottom of the 9th, he would go on to suffer his third loss of the season.
Conversely, he would show exactly why he's regarded as one of the best closers in baseball on Wednesday as he completely shut the door for the Giants 2-0 victory, striking out one and needing just 17 pitches to dispose of the Mariners order.
Ultimately, the Giants need much more of Wednesday's Doval than any other, and given his consistency this season, it's safe to say that the organization will remain confident in the young flamethrower.
2. Alex Cobb gives the rotation a much-needed boost
The SF Giants pitching rotation has been struggling in a big way over the past few weeks, with Logan Webb being the only established starter to contribute in a consistent manner, but on Wednesday, the Giants got a much-needed boost.
In the series finale, Alex Cobb took the mound and gave San Francisco 6 shutout innings, allowing 6 hits while striking out 8 Mariners in just 88 pitches, a great sign of things to come as he gets healthy again.
They still need help, as the depth in this rotation is struggling to stay afloat, but with Cobb back alongside Webb, if the team can manage to promote or find another top line starter, they could be a genuine threat in 2023.
3. The SF Giants offense has cooled off significantly
During their hot streak, the SF Giants offense continued to come up with big hits and massive run-scoring outbursts, but over the past three series, it hasn't been that way, with the last three games a perfect example.
In game one, the team scored just two runs up until a 9th-inning rally capped off by Blake Sabol's massive home run. They were then shut out in game two and managed just 8 hits and 2 runs in the series finale, and it's clear they need a boost.
Could that boost come from a red-hot Joey Bart being recalled from AAA? A returning Mike Yastrzemski? It's unclear at this point, but no matter what, the Giants need a boost, and with three games before the All-Star break, there's plenty of time to figure out just where it's coming from.