Why the SF Giants have not taken an easy route to their strong start

The SF Giants have been very good in 2025. They have one of the best records in MLB and what has been so impressive is their record against other good teams. If they can keep this up, their success will truly have been earned.

As of May 9th, the Giants had the best record against teams with a record above .500 in MLB. Their 15-7 record against opponents who are above .500 is truly remarkable. The full list of teams and their records against teams with a winning record can be viewed here. By comparison, the San Diego Padres had a record of 13-10 and the Los Angeles Dodgers had a record of 7-7 against teams with a winning record.

SF Giants have been playing great against teams with a winning record

The Giants have had to play a lot of good teams thus far. They had back-to-back series against the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies in which they acquitted themselves quite well, taking four of the seven games played.

Then, just in the past week they went into the chilly and windy confines of Wrigley Field and took two of three games against a good Chicago Cubs team, including a memorable and gritty win in an 11-inning game.

Yet, what may truly define the team's chances for success this season will be their record against the rest of the National League West. Thus far, they were swept in a two-game series against the San Diego Padres and took three of four games against the Colorado Rockies.

How they fare against San Diego, the Los Angeles, Dodgers, and the Arizona Diamondbacks will be extremely important in a division that is arguably the best in all of MLB. Despite San Francisco's strong start, they are still in third place in the division looking up at San Diego and Los Angeles.

The Giants will get their next taste of the NL West following their series with the Minnesota Twins this weekend as they will take on the Diamondbacks at home Monday through Wednesday. They do not see San Diego again until the first week of June and then they will see Los Angeles for the first time on June 13th.

Fans should feel confident knowing that the Giants have looked really strong against good teams to begin the 2025 season. They are just going to have to keep that level of play up as the season goes on if they want to snag a spot in the playoffs given how strong the rest of their division is.