Giants defy odds with playoff appearance
Members of the San Francisco Giants celebrate after clinching the division and advancing to the NLDS against their long-time rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
November 22, 2021
If you were to ask any major league baseball fan who would be the top team in the beginning of the season, I bet that none of them would have predicted that the San Francisco Giants would be the best team in baseball.
According to ESPN.com, the Giants had 1.2 percent odds to make the playoffs, while division rival Los Angeles Dodgers had a 99.3 percent odds and the San Diego Padres had a 66.7 percent chance of making the playoffs.
The Giants have been the most arguable surprise this 2021 regular season.
The reason the San Francisco Giants have played so well is not because of the up and coming prospects or big free agent signings, but because of all the veterans and everyone performing extremely well and exceeding expectations.
On the offensive side, players like Buster Posey, Brandon Crawford, Brandon Belt, and Evan Longoria have all revamped their careers and are playing as if they were playing in their prime.
Other players who have come along this year have also had a big impact on the hitting core such as breakout star, outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. who was acquired back in February from the Minnesota
Twins and the 2016 National League MVP and star utility player, Kris Bryant from the Chicago Cubs during the trade deadline on July 31.
They have a combined 241 home runs as a team. The most home runs hit by any National League team and by any Giants team of all time, breaking their old record of 235 held back in 2001 during the Steroid Era.
To win as many games as the Giants had, they couldn’t do it all with just offense, but the pitching as well. The pitching has been phenomenal, led by starting pitchers Kevin Gausman, Logan Webb, and Anthony DeSclafani.
Even if the starting pitching can get shaky, their bullpen can save them at any time as the Giants have one of the best bullpens in baseball, full of arms that can get out of any jam, such as Camilo Doval, Tyler Rogers, and closer Jake McGee.
On Oct. 3, the Giants clinched the National West title by one game over the Dodgers and finished the season off at 107-55.
The Giants had the most wins in franchise history, beating out their 1904 record of 106 wins.
On Oct. 14, the Dodgers defeated the Giants at Oracle Park, 3 games to 2, advancing to the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves.