San Francisco Giants 2018 Season Preview
The 2017 campaign was a disappointment for the San Francisco Giants. Will their even year magic come back in 2018?
Heading into the 2017 campaign, the San Francisco Giants had hopes for another playoff run. They had reached the NLDS last year before being bounced by the Cubs, and with virtually the same roster, another run seemed to be in the works.
However, the Giants even year magic did not spill over to 2017. Hunter Pence suddenly hit the age wall, and was a shell of himself. Mark Melancon, their prized free agent signing, struggled in San Francisco. To make matters even worse, Madison Bumgarner was injured, and only made 17 starts last year. Understandably, the Giants struggled, ending the year with a 64-98 record, tied for the worst in baseball.
This year, the Giants made moves to make sure those struggles would not happen again. They acquired Andrew McCutchen, moving Pence to left in order to solidify the outfield. Evan Longoria was brought in to strengthen third base, a position where the bloated corpse of Pablo Sandoval was somehow allowed to play 38 games at the hot corner. The roster has received a dramatic upgrade.
But will this be enough? Can the San Francisco Giants recapture that even year magic and make another run into the postseason in 2018?
San Francisco Giants additions and subtractions
Key additions: Evan Longoria, Andrew McCutchen, Austin Jackson
Newcomer to watch: Andrew McCutchen. Last year, the Giants had 13 players make at least one appearance in left. Ten of those players made their first appearance in the Giants first 60 games. To say the position was a revolving door would not do it justice.
Although McCutchen is slated to move to right, his presence should make a difference. Hunter Pence will move to left, providing more stability in the outfield. In addition to the stability that McCutchen provides, he appeared to rediscover his batting stroke last year as well. Last year, he produced a solid .279/.363/.486 batting line, hitting 28 homers and stealing 11 bases. He may not have returned to his All Star level, but that performance was a dramatic improvement over 2016.
McCutchen also has millions of reasons to perform well this year. A free agent after 2018, he could put himself back into the conversation as one of the top players available. If he can rediscover that All Star form, he could cash in during free agency. And, naturally, the Giants would benefit from getting that production in their lineup.
Biggest losses: Matt Moore, Denard Span
Biggest loss: Denard Span. Losing Span may not seem vital to the Giants chances in 2018, but he may be a bigger loss than expected.
A solid defensive center fielder, Span held a key place atop the Giants lineup. With his ability to make contact and all around game, he has been an underrated player throughout most of his career. That continued last year, as Span quietly produced a decent .272/.329/.427 batting line, hitting 12 homers and 31 doubles while stealing 12 bases.
In his stead, Austin Jackson is expected to be the San Francisco Giants Opening Day center fielder. Jackson has been a fourth outfielder for the past two seasons, with a combined 82 games in center in that time. Although he is younger than Span, he has not played nearly as much. If Jackson cannot stay in the lineup consistently, Giants fans may long for Span in the outfield.
What to expect from the San Francisco Giants in 2018
There is no question that, on paper, the San Francisco Giants are better heading into the 2018 campaign. But will it matter?
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The front of the Giants rotation is a strength. With a healthy Madison Bumgarner, Jeff Samardzija, and Johnny Cueto, San Francisco is in good shape. However, the back of the rotation is a series of question marks, and neither Mark Melancon or Sam Dyson inspire confidence in the back of the Giants bullpen.
Likewise, the lineup is better, but there are still plenty of question marks there as well. McCutchen is expected to team with Buster Posey as a formidable 1-2 punch in the lineup, but is that resurgence from last year sustainable? Can Evan Longoria and Hunter Pence stay healthy? Is Austin Jackson a starting caliber player at this stage of his career? The new additions are upgrades, but they bring their own questions as well.
In theory, the Giants should contend for the division and a postseason berth. However, they are in what may well be the toughest division in baseball, with a strong Dodgers team and a Diamondbacks team that appears to have improved. San Francisco is better than they were last year, but it may not make enough of a difference.
Next: Giants to retire Bonds number
The San Francisco Giants appear ready to make another charge to the postseason, but they may not have enough even year magic left to get there. Prediction: Third place in the NL West.