The San Francisco Giants have found themselves in the middle of an ultra-competitive National League playoff race. Seven teams have a better record than San Francisco, and seven teams are worse. In a six-team playoff field, that spells trouble.
Variance and sequencing haven’t been kind to the Giants. In June, they own an MLB-worst .197 batting average with runners in scoring position. Even after trading for superstar slugger Rafael Devers, offensive ineptitude has struck. San Francisco is 4-8 since Devers’ debut on June 17. In that span, they’ve scored more than five runs in a game just once.
On Monday night, San Francisco will enter a four-game set against the reeling Arizona Diamondbacks with a chance to get back on track.
San Francisco has an ace in its opening hand
The Giants are 1-5 in their last six games, faltering against the Miami Marlins and Chicago White Sox, bottom-feeders that their National League competition is using to bank wins. In Arizona, they’ll have the opportunity to do battle with their ace on the hill.
Logan Webb has lived up to lofty expectations in 2025. Pitching to a 2.52 ERA with the highest K/9 of his career (10.06), he has earned his spot in the Cy Young conversation. Winning Webb’s starts has proven to be difficult for San Francisco, handing him a mediocre 7-5 record.
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After his last start, a six-inning, two-run outing vs. Miami, Webb admitted a need to be even better.
“I thought I could have done a better job today,” he told reporters. “Three walks can’t really happen. Get a leadoff homer off a guy who’s probably one of the more talented pitchers in baseball [Edward Cabrera]. And the fourth inning can’t happen, gave up two runs. Just thought I could’ve done better today.”
Against an Arizona lineup without star Corbin Carroll, he should continue his stellar season.
Giants vs. Diamondbacks probables
Webb will hope to best Ryne Nelson on Monday, who has posted a 3.71 ERA and thrown at least 5.0 innings in his last three starts.
As for the rest of the series, San Francisco retains its advantage on the mound.
- Tuesday: Hayden Birdsong (4.13 ERA) vs. Zac Gallen (5.75)
- Wednesday: Landen Roupp (3.43) vs. Merrill Kelly (3.49)
- Thursday: Robbie Ray (2.75) vs. Brandon Pfaadt (5.38)
Pitching has been a struggle for the Diamondbacks. Gallen has been pitiful, watching his strikeouts, walks, and homers trend in the wrong direction. He’s posted -0.4 fWAR in 2025. Corbin Burnes was shut down for Tommy John surgery, the back end of the rotation hasn’t held up, and the bullpen has made for some of the season’s most chaotic games. Arizona is just one of three teams with a bullpen ERA over 5.00.Â
There’s some “stoppable force vs. movable object” at play here, given the struggles of San Francisco’s offense, but Chase Field’s altitude and favorable pitching matchups benefit the Giants.
If San Francisco can pull off a sweep, it would stand at 49-39 and be better positioned for a playoff run than it is entering the series (41.6% at FanGraphs). Ultimately, the Giants should be favored to at least win the series. Already a game under .500, doing so could spoil Arizona’s season and essentially eliminate a team from playoff contention.
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