3 takeaways from the SF Giants series split with the Cincinnati Reds

The SF Giants opened up the second half of the season hot as they swept the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road, but after winning the first two games in Cincinnati, they leave Ohio with a 2-2 split in the four game set.

3 takeaways from the SF Giants series split with the Cincinnati Reds

Even in those two losses, the Giants showed plenty of promise against another young, talented squad, and with a winnable schedule upcoming, they'll remain in the hunt for both a Wild Card spot and the top of the NL West.

The Giants will now continue their road trip as they next battle the Washington Nationals, but before that happens, let's take a look back on the past four days with our three takeaways from the Giants road split against the Cincinnati Reds.

1. The Giants can't wait until the deadline to address the rotation

All season long, it's been abundantly clear that the SF Giants need to add to their starting rotation, and even after the returns of Antony DeSclafani and Ross Stripling, this team is still in dire need of another big time addition.

With Alex Cobb and Logan Webb leading the way, the top end of the rotation looks set in stone and dangerous ahead of a playoff run, but with so many starting pitchers out there and so many needy teams, the Giants need to make their move soon.

Whether that's Kyle Harrison, Carson Whisenhunt, or a trade, changes need to be made soon, and if the lineup can get healthy, this is a team that's ready to go on a big-time run down the stretch.

2. What more can be said about the SF Giants rookie class?

The 2023 Giants season has been full of fun stories, but the best of all has been the emergence of their rookie class, and once again, all that talent was on full display throughout the four days of this hard-fought series.

Patrick Bailey once again showed off his arm, throwing out the electric Elly De La Cruz in the series finale, while Blake Sabol and Luis Matos both flashed their power and clutch hitting at points and now, we could genuinely be looking at one of the most exciting young core groups in baseball.

There's still plenty of baseball to be played, and if the Giants rookies can continue to grow and improve, this is a team that no one in the National League will want to face when the post-season begins.

3. A key Giants veteran keeps getting it done

As mentioned above, the Giants rookies deserve all the praise they've been getting, but this series was a great way to remind the fans of just how good their veterans can be, as Wilmer Flores made a massive statement.

Over the four game series, Flores had seven hits, two walks and seven RBI, taking his season stats to .291 with 11 home runs and 30 RBI, and with Brandon Crawford, Mitch Haniger and Thairo Estrada all missing from the lineup right now, he appears ready to step up and shoulder the load.

While the injuries have mounted up, the focus now shifts to the veteran leadership consisting of Flores and Mike Yastrzemski. The former has become something of an X Factor and has been proving it lately. When his bat is going, so is the Giants offense.