Why the SF Giants will make the playoffs in 2025 for the first time in four years

The SF Giants have a solid foundation to build upon.

San Francisco Giants Introduce Willy Adames
San Francisco Giants Introduce Willy Adames | Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/GettyImages

SF Giants fans are starved for meaningful baseball in October. The Giants have not made the playoffs since 2021 and before that had not made it since 2016. There is reason to believe that the playoff drought will end in 2025, though.

While Giants fans were incredibly spoiled from 2010 to 2014, seeing the Giants win three World Series championships in a span of five years, the decade since then has been pretty lean for the orange and black. They only those two playoff appearances, being eliminated in the National League Division Series both times.

Of course, there was the miracle 2021 season in which the Giants won a franchise-record 107 games. Yet, the ensuing mediocrity almost makes that season feel like a mirage or some sort of weird fever dream that was never meant to happen.

SF Giants fans should have hope for 2025

Many fans feel worn down after the last three seasons of mediocrity. It feels like the team is stuck in a rut that they are struggling to get out of. But they are putting together the pieces to return to the postseason in 2025.

By signing third baseman Matt Chapman to a six-year extension at the end of the regular season and then signing shortstop Willy Adames to the largest contract in franchise history in the offseason, they have filled in a lot of the holes on the roster.

Pretty much every position is covered as things stand and there are still potential options out there for them to upgrade in the outfield and at first base.

The lineup does not project to be a juggernaut, but factoring in the Adames addition and hoping Jung Hoo Lee can have a full healthy season, they should have an offense that is more consistent than last season.

Yet, it is the Giants so we know the bats are going to run cold at times. We know that is not a death knell though, considering the Giants won three World Series championships with offensive production that was average at best.

That is why the pitching staff needs to be a strength next season. The bullpen looks pretty strong for San Francisco, especially at the back end with closer Ryan Walker who was dominant in 2024, the ever-reliable Tyler Rogers, and Camilo Doval who is due for a bounceback year after a rough 2024.

The biggest question mark is the starting rotation. Logan Webb is an ace, but after that the rotation gets much more dicey. Robbie Ray looked pretty good for the Giants last season, but one has to expect he will spend some time on the shelf given his lengthy injury history. Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, and Hayden Birdsong all showed flashes of dominance in 2024, but there are genuine concerns about their ability to be consistent for a full season and not get fatigued.

The Giants would solve a lot of problems by signing ace Corbin Burnes, who they have been connected to despite his hefty price tag. The Giants would have an incredible one-two punch in Webb and Burnes which would make the rotation much stronger as a whole.

It is fair to say that as the roster currently stands, the Giants are probably a team on the precipice of playoff contention that would probably win 80 to 85 games. Adding Burnes could make them a real contender for a Wild Card spot and would make 85 to 90 wins seem much more likely.

For a fanbase starved of hope, all of this can seem like wishful thinking. But with franchise legend Buster Posey now running the show as president of baseball operations, there is reason to believe that brighter days are on the horizon for the Giants and a playoff berth in 2025 seems well within the realm of possibility.

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