{"id":32315,"date":"2021-08-19T19:53:19","date_gmt":"2021-08-19T14:23:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/districtchronicles.com\/could-starting-rotation-full-of-surprises-become-sf-giants-postseason-undoing-east-bay-times\/"},"modified":"2021-08-19T20:15:16","modified_gmt":"2021-08-19T14:45:16","slug":"could-starting-rotation-full-of-surprises-become-sf-giants-postseason-undoing-east-bay-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/districtchronicles.com\/could-starting-rotation-full-of-surprises-become-sf-giants-postseason-undoing-east-bay-times\/","title":{"rendered":"Could starting rotation full of surprises become SF Giants\u2019 postseason undoing? \u2013 East Bay Times"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SAN FRANCISCO \u2014 The Giants seemingly have it all. A grind-it-out lineup with a deep bench that can make life miserable for both right-handed and left-handed pitching. Solid defense all the way around that is occasionally spectacular. An army of relievers that for the most part have held their end en route to a major league-best 78-43 record.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what they don\u2019t have: current versions of decorated late-season and postseason starters such as Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.<\/p>\n

Take Bumgarner\u2019s 2014 heroics against the Kansas City Royals off the table, because it may never be duplicated. Even then, it\u2019s hard to see the Giants starters seizing the moment and dominating hitters in September and October with their current rotation of Kevin Gausman, Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood and Johnny Cueto.<\/p>\n

The five starters have a combined record of 47-22 and have contributed to a season no one expected except the players in the clubhouse \u2014 and privately most of them would probably admit to being surprised.<\/p>\n

But the rotation is leaking oil down the stretch with the exception of Webb<\/a>, who at age 24 has emerged as their most dependable starter and improved to 7-3 with 7 1\/3 innings of work Tuesday night in a 3-2 win over the New York Mets.<\/p>\n

Gausman, whose dominance brought to mind some of Lincecum\u2019s magic in his prime, has gone from a lockdown No. 1 starter to something considerably less. He improved to 12-5 in Monday night\u2019s 7-5 win over the Mets, but couldn\u2019t hold a 2-0 lead and made it through just five innings, throwing 94 pitches in the process.<\/p>\n

Gausman is 2-2 with a 5.16 earned run average in five second-half starts. After going six or more innings in 15 of his first 18 starts, Gausman has made it to the sixth just once in his last six outings.<\/p>\n

Theories run the gamut as to why Gausman has fallen to earth, and the Giants are crossing their fingers he approaches the form that made him a National League All-Star. Manager Gabe Kapler said he saw signs of progress against the Mets.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought it was the best version of Kevin in several starts, despite the outcome, and the fact that he left having given up some runs and wasn\u2019t able to get too deep into the game,\u201d Kapler said Tuesday. \u201cI really thought he was excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Was Gausman, who was 39-51 before he joined the Giants, simply pitching over his head the first half of the season, with an inevitable correction to come? Did real life intervene when Gausman took a family leave break when his wife had issues with her pregnancy, which thankfully ended with a healthy baby daughter?<\/p>\n

As for actual pitching, what happened to all those swings and misses at splitters in the dirt which helped him pile up 169 strikeouts, the fifth-highest total in baseball?<\/p>\n

Hitters were apparently paying attention, and their reluctance to be added to the strikeout list has led to watching splitters go by rather than swinging the bat. Gausman said he was encouraged by his splitter Monday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cII thought from the get-go I was throwing some really good ones,\u201d Gausman said. \u201cTo be honest, it\u2019s just a matter if they\u2019re going to swing at them or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catcher Buster Posey believes he saw progress as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cI thought this was a step in the right direction for sure,\u201d Posey said. \u201cFastball had good life, his split was more consistent, threw some really good ones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alex Wood has a 10-3 record but a 5.34 earned run average in his last six starts for the Giants.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Although Gausman has a slider and a change-up, the Giants sold him on basically being a two-pitch pitcher, and the good news is his fastball broke 97 miles per hour against the Mets. He pitched up in the strike zone, and the Mets fouled off a lot of pitches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fastball velocity and the carry was better, and I think he was commanding the ball better at the top of the zone,\u201d Kapler said. \u201cFoul balls are always going to be tough for a pitcher who\u2019s a two-pitch mix guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Next up for Gausman will be in Oakland Saturday against the Athletics, with an eye toward getting him past the sixth inning.<\/p>\n

While Gausman is the most problematic of the starting staff, the three other than Webb haven\u2019t been at their best in recent starts.<\/p>\n

DeSclafani (11-5), who had given up 29 hits in 24 innings entering Wednesday\u2019s game against the Mets, came out after 1 2\/3 innings<\/a> with an ankle injury after covering first base, meaning it\u2019s likely the Giants could be looking to Triple-A Sacramento to fill a spot in the rotation at least temporarily. DeSclafani missed a recent start with what the Giants called \u201cshoulder fatigue.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wood (10-3) has followed up nicely after Giants losses,<\/a> as San Francisco is 11-0 when he starts following a loss. But in his last six starts, Wood has given up 36 hits in 32 innings and has a 5.34 ERA.<\/p>\n

As for Cueto (7-6), he\u2019s 35 years old and is progressing in a throwing program while on the injured list with a right flexor strain and spent time on the IL earlier in the year with a lat strain. The company line is Cueto will miss one start, maybe two.<\/p>\n

Tyler Beede, meanwhile, a former first-round pick Kapler said the club had targeted for \u201cbig, meaningful starts this season,\u201d is done for the year with a back injury in what was essentially a lost season.<\/p>\n

The Giants made a big splash at the trade deadline in acquiring Kris Bryant from the Chicago Cubs and also brought back Tony Watson to help in the bullpen. The starting rotation was left untouched, with the Dodgers landing Max Scherzer and Toronto getting Jose Berrios from Minnesota.<\/p>\n