Three tough losses to a team we should be able to beat were the result of personnel change and injuries.
Matt Chapman’s absence is the single biggest defining factor of our losses over the past three weeks. Followed closely by the disappearance of Willy Adames’ bat and our inability to find a closer.
We were 6 – 6 with Chapman out until this week, and now are 6 – 9 in the fifteen games we have played since he went down with the sprained arm. He hopes to be back soon, and is much-needed physically and psychologically – he’s the Captain.
Camilo Doval ‘s latest implosion for a loss was in extras in game two against the Marlins, when he gave up four runs in the 10th.
This team has also added several new players in the past three weeks: Rafael Devers via the big trade, Christian Koss, stepping up for the injured Tyler Fitzgerald, Dom Smith by addition from the Yankees, and Vallejo-native Daniel Johnson, all have found minutes in these few weeks.
This is a team seeking a lineup.
Our starting pitching rotation has only really two reliable arms: Logan Webb and Robbie Ray. Landon Roupp and Hayden Birdsong are rookies learning on the fly and Justin Verlander is a 42-year-old with a clearly diminishing skill set, who desperately seems new command.
Our bullpen has been our greatest strength this season, but wear-and-tear from overuse was a direct factor in losing to Miami yesterday.
We need Chapman back, for Adames to start hitting, for our starting pitchers to find a rhythm and to find a closer.
It’s a lot.
Anyway, here’s some footage from the Miami game on Thursday:
Giants Baseball Corner 