This Dodgers series could decide the fate of the SF Giants franchise

The SF Giants begin the first of four games against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight. With the trade deadline approaching, this series could have ramifications that go well beyond the 2024 season depending on how the Giants perform against their rival.

This Dodgers series could decide the fate of the SF Giants franchise

The point of writing this article is not to be hyperbolic. No single series will completely derail a franchise. Even if the Giants get swept by the Dodgers they could still turn things around. However, given the current state of limbo the Giants are in this series is going to determine a lot.

Let's run through the different scenarios:

1. Giants win the series

This is not impossible. The Giants won their most recent series against the Dodgers and looked like a playoff-caliber team in doing so. If the Giants were to take either 3 or 4 games this series, perhaps that makes Farhan Zaidi and the front office look at this group a little differently. Perhaps they go out and make a move for a difference maker, parting ways with a young prospect like Marco Luciano in the process. That could have ramifications for years for either ill or good.

2. Giants split the series

If the Giants split the series with the Dodgers, that would be a pretty solid outcome. Especially since this series is in Los Angeles, the Giants taking two games against a superior team would be very respectable. However, it would probably not make the front office fully believe the team is a contender. They would probably decide to stand pat at the deadline and only make minor moves.

3. Giants lose the series

If the Giants lose the series, winning only one of four games, that would be pretty similar to a split. It would not completely change the outlook of the team or the stench of mediocrity. It would be a pretty predictable result going against a tough opponent that may make the team sell off some players but still give off the veneer of contention. But what if the worst result possible happens?

4. Giants get swept

Let's say the Giants get swept. They lose all four games and their record drops to a dismal 48-56. They fall even further behind in the playoff standings. At that point, there is almost no world in which the Giants are buyers at the deadline. Many fans would give up on the team and players may even start to think that their chances at the postseason are lost. Farhan Zaidi would almost certainly be gone after the season, if not sooner. Who knows, maybe even Bob Melvin would feel like he is on the hot seat. Zaidi may feel that he has no other choice than to sell at the deadline. Even if he knows that the writing is on the wall, perhaps he feels it is still important for the franchise to get a longer look at younger players.

A big series like this so close to the trade deadline at a time when the future for the Giants is so unclear feels important. If the Giants win this series and it propels them to the postseason it could save Farhan Zaidi's job. At the same time, if they lose the series or get swept and it sends them on a downward spiral for the rest of the year then we may see a lot of changes not only in the front office but on the field as well.