SF Giants: The 3 biggest surprises from the first half of the season

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The SF Giants finished the first half of the season at 48-43. While the first half was disappointing and frustrating on many fronts, there were several pleasant surprises.

SF Giants: The 3 biggest surprises from the first half of the season

Health will be one of the biggest factors for the Giants in the second half of the season. All teams are dealing with injuries, so extended absences cannot be used as an excuse. That said, injury risk is often higher with a veteran team like San Francisco.

Despite their struggles in the bullpen and with the glove, the Giants will likely be playing meaningful games in September. With the trade deadline coming up in the next 10 days, the front office will be in a position to buy.

Their level of aggressiveness will depend on how the team performs. The Giants need to show more to give the front office the confidence it needs to be aggressive buyers. At this point in time, they look like they will be soft buyers at the trade deadline.

Despite the overall results, there have been plenty of pleasant surprises. Hopefully, these performances can carry over into the second half of the season.

1. Jakob Junis

When Jakob Junis signed a one-year, $1.75 million pact right before the start of the season, it was not a move that garnered a lot of attention. The 29-year-old pitcher had posted a 4.82 ERA, 4.74 FIP, 1.35 WHIP, 8.2 K/8, and a 3.25 SO/W ratio in six seasons with the Kansas City Royals.

Perhaps, one of the more appealing qualities that Junis brought to the table is that he had one minor league option remaining, so he gave the Giants extra roster flexibility.

That said, Junis has filled a pretty important role for the Giants in 2022. The front office rebuilt a rotation that carried good upside but it came with a lot of injury risk as well. Some of that risk has been realized as Anthony DeSclafani (ankle) will miss the rest of the season after making only five starts, whereas Alex Cobb has already made two trips to the injured list.

The Giants liked Junis' strike-throwing ability, but that has gotten him into trouble in the past as he has been prone to the long ball. However, they worked with him to simplify his pitch mix while increasing the usage of his slider, which has proven to be an effective pitch throughout his career.

These are changes that have paid immediate dividends. The veteran starter is having a career year on the mound, posting a 3.06 ERA, 3.91 FIP, 1.02 WHIP, 7.6 K/9, and a 4.20 SO/W ratio across 50 innings for the Giants.

Many Giants fans wanted the front office to be more aggressive last offseason but it bears mentioning that they have made some really solid signings. Junis has quietly been one of the best value additions of the offseason.

Chicago Cubs v Chicago White Sox
Chicago Cubs v Chicago White Sox / Norm Hall/GettyImages

SF Giants: The 3 biggest surprises from the first half of the season

2. Luis González

Speaking of moves that did not garner attention. The SF Giants claimed Luis González off of waivers from the Chicago White Sox in the middle of last season. He was immediately placed on the 60-day injured list after undergoing shoulder surgery.

The 26-year-old outfielder quickly made a positive impression after stringing together a bunch of quality at-bats in the Cactus League in 2022. That performance carried over into the regular season where he posted an .889 OPS in 54 plate appearances with the Sacramento River Cats before earning a promotion to the Giants.

The left-handed bat has given the Giants lineup a gritty and professional at-bat while being a good situational hitter. Of course, it helps that González has a sweet swing that produces a lot of line drives.

He has been fantastic in the batter's box, slashing .282/.343/.414 (112 OPS+) with three home runs, 26 RBI, and 20 runs in 204 plate appearances. This includes an 8.3 percent walk rate against a 19.6 percent strikeout rate.

It bears mentioning that González has struggled as he has recorded just three hits in 22 at-bats since returning from the injured list. He might be best suited for a platoon role as he has posted an .850 OPS in 153 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

However, Giants manager Gabe Kapler has often used him in the lineup against lefties as well where he has just eight hits in 45 at-bats. This is due to a roster imbalance given that the roster has more lefties than righties. González has typically been the choice among the lefties on the roster to face off against southpaws.

With all that being said, the lefty bat has made a solid impression in his first season with the Giants. It is easy to envision him filling a role over the next couple of seasons with San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants v Arizona Diamondbacks
San Francisco Giants v Arizona Diamondbacks / Norm Hall/GettyImages

SF Giants: The 3 biggest surprises from the first half of the season

3. David Villar

This is not the surprise many fans expected when the season began. David Villar put his name on the map with an excellent performance with the Richmond Flying Squirrels last season where he set a franchise record by blasting 20 home runs.

The adjustment curve from Double-A to Triple-A can take time for some hitters but that was not the case at all with Villar. The right-handed bat mashed Pacific Coast League (PCL) pitching to the tune of a 1.043 OPS with 21 homers, 62 RBI, and 53 runs in 281 plate appearances with the Sacramento River Cats.

He remained in Triple-A longer than many fans wanted. With each passing game, the clamor for his promotion grew louder until his contract was selected at the beginning of July.

The early returns have been promising. He has shown a good feel for the strike zone, which is not a trait that you usually see with rookies.

It is a small sample, but Villar has registered a .222/.420/.389 line (130 OPS+) with one home run, five RBI, and five runs in 50 plate appearances. His 34 percent strikeout rate is a bit too high for comfort, but his plate appearances will result in the three true outcomes at a high rate.

Speaking of three true outcomes, he has walked in 22 percent of his plate appearances as well. That rate is not sustainable but he has done well to stay in the strike zone as he has a strong 21.9 percent chase rate.

Many rookies look overwhelmed against major league pitching. That has not been the case with Villar as he has a plan at the plate and does not often deviate from it.

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