Three takeaways from the SF Giants series against the Chicago Cubs

After a much needed sweep of the Colorado Rockies, the SF Giants returned home over the weekend to battle the Chicago Cubs, but unfortunately, the offense was once again very hit and miss, and the team lost two-of-three very winnable games.

Three takeaways from the SF Giants series against the Chicago Cubs

After a quick home stand, the team will now head on the road to battle another National League Central foe, as they will take on the St. Louis Cardinals, but heading forward, there's things we certainly learned about this team over the past three days. So here are our three takeaways from the SF Giants 2-1 series loss to the Chicago Cubs.

3. Brandon Crawford... new SF Giants ace?

The SF Giants finished their series with a thrilling 13-3 victory on Sunday afternoon against Chicago, and while there were plenty of impressive performances from the game, one of the best and most enjoyable stories was franchise legend Brandon Crawford taking the mound for the first time in his career.

After becoming the fourth player in the San Francisco era of the Giants to play in 1,600 games, Crawford fulfilled a career long journey of pitching, and while it wasn't all perfect, he certainly showed off some skills as he closed out the dominant win for the Giants.

It's safe to say that this likely isn't the last we've seen of him on the mound, as he may appear yet again in 2023 if the Giants are in another blowout, but this was yet another fun story in a big time victory to give the Giants some momentum as we head to St. Louis.

2. The SF Giants need more depth in their starting rotation

The SF Giants recent success has all been built on the back of their incredible rotations of the past, and while Logan Webb and Alex Cobb have led the way in 2023, this team has a major problem with depth in their starting rotation.

Sure, Anthony DeSclafani can be counted on for some big innings, but beyond that, the Giants have a massive hole, as evidenced by the fact that John Brebbia opened not one, but two games in the series against the Cubs.

With Kyle Harrison waiting in the wings and a potential trade on the way, there are options for San Francisco, but after weeks of trying new things, it's clear that it's not working, so expect the team to make a major move in the coming weeks to fill out this starting rotation.

1. A healthy Joc Pederson is a game changer for the SF Giants

The SF Giants have experienced major struggles with offensive consistency, even during this series, but on Sunday, Joc Pederson officially anounced his return ot the lineup, slugging 2 home runs while driving in 4 massive RBI's.

If this team is to make a genuine run at the playoffs, they need Pederson to once again be a difference maker as well as the leader of this lineup, and with such depth around him, this could be a major x-factor.

Ultimately, Pederson has not long returned from injury, but with a penchant for going on long hot-streaks, this could be the start of something fun for the Giants, and if Pederson can continue to play at his best, they will no doubt be a genuine playoff contender in the National League.