San Francisco Giants 3 Up, 3 Down: Still Can’t Beat San Diego

3 DOWN

1 –Hunter Pence

The struggles continue for Hunter Pence. He started the San Diego series with a big, two-run hit on Thursday, but had one hit in nine at-bats over the last three games, striking out six times. Through 50 official at-bats on the year, Pence is slashing .200/.226/.220 with one extra-base hit (a double in his first AB of the season).

Pence’s struggles are amplified because of some performances by Giants’ outfielders on the 40-man roster in Sacramento.Mac Williamsonwas just named PCL Offensive Player of the Week, and he’s hitting an astounding .548/.659/1.129 with five home runs and three doubles in nine games.Austin Slateris hitting .423/.516/.731, and leads the PCL with six doubles.

The Giants have options to stick into the lineup if Pence doesn’t turn this around, and soon. The question is: will they do the uncharacteristic thing and make the tough decision, or continue to play the veterans, no matter how poorly they play, as they usually do?

2 – The Bullpen

The Giants’ bullpen just isn’t getting results.Sam DysonandJosh Osichboth continue to fail time and time again at getting outs.Cory Gearrinwas off to a very nice start and escaped a big jam on Friday, but stayed in a bit too long and gave up the eventual game-winning home run.

Hunter StricklandandTony Watsonhave both been great so far in the young season, combining to give up just one run in 13.2 innings.Pierce Johnsonhas been a nice surprise after a late-season waiver claim in 2017, allowing one run and six baserunners in nine innings.Reyes Morontahas pitched well also, not allowing a run in eight innings (the seven walks do need to be cleaned up, though).

But when nearly half the bullpen is unreliable, it makes life that much more difficult, especially for a team that is working without their top three starters. The bullpen has to pick up a lot of the slack, and the team can’t use the same few pitchers every day. GettingWill Smithback soon should help, but he is coming offTommy Johnsurgery and will need time to re-acclimate himself. The Giants need more from the guys who just aren’t getting it done right now.

3 – Still Can’t Beat San Diego

The series opening win seemed like a good sign, but the Padres thoroughly outplayed San Francisco over the final three games to take the series. San Diego won the final two games without their starting center fielder (Manuel Margot), right fielder (Wil Myers), and first baseman (Eric Hosmer).

Dating back to the 2016 All-Star break, the Giants and Padres have played 10 series. The Giants won just one of those series, the last set of games during the 2017 season that ended withPablo Sandoval’s walk-off home run. They also split a four-game series in San Diego last year.

Next: Suarez Shows Great Signs in Debut

Other than, the Giants have lost eight of the last 10 series against the Padres, a team that has been actively tanking during that entire stretch. The Giants should be beating up on teams like this, but they just can not put the Padres away.

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