SAN FRANCISCO — As the July 31 trade deadline looms, manager Bob Melvin told reporters prior to Sunday’s series finale that he believes the Giants “have enough here to go where we want to go.” The last three games at Oracle Park have said otherwise.
With a 5-3 loss on Sunday evening, the Giants were swept by the New York Mets. They dropped to 54-52 on the season, falling three games back of the final Wild Card spot. They’ve lost seven of their first nine games in the second half, and nine of their last 11 going back to the first half.
Their lack of starting pitching depth was exposed as they utilized their first planned bullpen game of the year, the product of Hayden Birdsong being optioned and Landen Roupp being injured. They’ll have to find a way to cobble together innings on Monday, too. The offense’s inconsistencies remained prevalent even with Matt Chapman’s two homers, finishing the series with five runs while going 0-for-23 with runners in scoring position.
San Francisco is sliding. If the Giants are to make the playoffs in Buster Posey’s first year as president of baseball operations, reinforcements — plural — are necessary.
“Buster’s made it clear,” Chapman said. “We go out and get (Rafael Devers), it makes sense to continue to try to improve this team for this year and the foreseeable future. I think we expect to add and to continue to get better and continue to make a push to make the playoffs.”
The Giants have two indisputable needs ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline: starting pitching and an impact bat.
Melvin said on Friday it’s possible that Roupp (right elbow inflammation) spends the minimum amount of time on the injured list, but the team could use an arm or two to bolster its weakened depth. Especially with Logan Webb and Robbie Ray’s recent struggles. Especially with Justin Verlander’s inconsistency since returning from the injured list.
With Birdsong and Roupp currently unavailable, the Giants will turn to top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Whisenhunt could very well develop into a rotation mainstay, but relying on rookies such as Whisenhunt and Carson Seymour down a stretch drive is a risky proposition.
“We’ve been waiting for this for a little bit now,” Melvin said. “We thought maybe he’d be here last year, too. He’s our top pitching prospect, I believe. With what’s going on with the injury and Bird going down, there’s a need for it. It’ll be exciting to see him pitch.”
As far as the offense, the addition of Devers has not been enough. With Sunday’s game in the books, the Giants rank 23rd in runs scored and 24th in OPS.
Devers, Chapman and Willy Adames are all starting to click at the same time, but a five-run weekend serves as another reminder that the offense lacks thump. This weekend marked the first time the Giants have gone at least 0-for-20 with runners in scoring position during a series since 1931, well before the team moved to San Francisco.
“It’s just one of those things where we haven’t been able to get the big hit,” Chapman said. “Maybe when we do, it’ll take pressure off of guys. Everybody wants to get the big hit. We just haven’t been able to get it done. Sometimes, there’s really on rhyme or reason.
“I think everybody’s aware of the situation and has an idea of what they’re looking for and what they want to hit in the situation that comes up. I’m not really sure. Hopefully, it’s one of those things where we continue to grind and it starts going our way.”
The Giants nearly lucked into a hit with a runner in scoring position in the third but instead ended up with a lowlight.
With Heliot Ramos on second, Adames hit a check-swing bunt up the third-base line. The Mets’ Ronny Mauricio had no shot at getting Adames at first, but Ramos inexplicably started jogging to third base. When Mauricio fielded the ball, Ramos was roughly halfway to third. Ramos tried to sneak into third, but Mauricio easily applied the tag and ended the inning.
Melvin said Ramos didn’t have the same angle on the ball as those in the third-base dugout, adding that Ramos should’ve remained at second regardless of whether the ball went fair or foul.
“He just got in no man’s land out there,” Melvin said. “It felt like he probably didn’t know what to do. … If you went back and look at the high home (view), just got a few steps off and got caught in no man’s land. It’s one of those things where he’d obviously like to take that back.”
Two such big hits were delivered against All-Star reliever Randy Rodríguez, who allowed a pair of solo homers to Ronny Mauricio and superstar Juan Soto in the top of the seventh. Mauricio’s homer, one that landed in McCovey Cove, tied the game at three apiece. Soto’s gave New York a 4-3 lead that it would never relinquish. For Rodríguez, it was the first time he’s allowed multiple runs since April.
“We ask a lot of him,” Melvin said. “Every now and then, you’re going to hang a couple pitches. The one to Juan wasn’t a bad pitch. I think the slider to Mauricio maybe was one that he hung, but those are the first home runs he’s given up to a lefty all year. His numbers would suggest he’s the best left-handed reliever in the league. Every now and then, you’re going to give up a run or two.”
The Giants entered the bottom of the ninth trailing by two runs, but All-Star closer Edwin Díaz gifted San Francisco a golden opportunity to tie the game.
After recording the inning’s first out, Díaz walked Jung Hoo Lee; barely grazed Heliot Ramos on an inside slider; and walked Devers to load the bases for the heart of the order. By inning’s end, the score remained the same. Días struck out Adames and Chapman to end the ballgame, and the Mets’ sweep was complete.
“A little unlucky last night, but when you go 0-for-23, it’s no longer unlucky,” Melvin said. “Just didn’t get the big hit we needed to and they seemed to get one when they needed to.”
The Giants will have an opportunity to beef up their record in the coming days as they host the Pirates, who fly into the Bay Area with the fourth-worst record in baseball. Then, deadline day.
Posey has already swung the most shocking trade of the year. The coming days will tell whether Posey and company have more in store.
Originally Published: July 27, 2025 at 5:20 PM PDT
