The 10 best MLB teams of the now-concluding 2010s
6. 2010 San Francisco Giants, 11 points
At 92-70, the Giants brought only the majors’ fifth-best record into post-season play. They held on down the stretch to beat out the San Diego Padres by two games for the NL West title, using six pitchers to beat the Padres 3-0 on the season’s final day to win a post-season berth.
Had they not won that final game, the Giants would have been thrown into a playoff against the Atlanta Braves for the National League’s wild-card spot.
Still, Bruce Bochy’s first of three World Series champions had plenty going for them, especially on the mound. Led by Tim Lincecum (16-10, 3.43), Matt Cain (13-11, 3.14) and a mid-season call-up named Madison Bumgarner (7-56, 3.00), the Giants compiled a 117 ERA+ that was the majors’ best.
Closer Brian Wilson ran up 48 saves.
In the division series, the Giants knocked off those Braves in four games, then beat the Phillies in six. Juan Uribe’s 8th inning home run broke up a 2-2 tie.
The World Series victory over Texas came in a surprisingly easy five games. Bumgarner’s 4-0 Game 4 shutout gave the Giants a 3 games to 1 advantage, and one day later Lincecum closed the Series out with a 3-1 victory. Between them, Bumgarner and Lincecum held the Rangers to a total of six hits in those final two games.