Winning streak snapped, SF Giants still hold edge over underachieving Padres

The San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres have been two of the more fascinating teams in baseball this year. Almost everyone expected the Padres to be among the game's best teams, if not the best, and that the SF Giants would be somewhere around .500. But after 70 or so games, it's the Giants who are about 10 games over .500 and the Padres have struggled pretty much all season, particularly in the run scoring department. Despite having multiple superstar hitters in their lineup!

The differences between these two teams and how they're playing is discussed. The SF Giants have a lot more roster flexibility, and they've been able to target undervalued players and get a lot of production out of them. Think Mike Yastrzemski, Thairo Estrada, LaMonte Wade Jr., and J.D. Davis. The Padres are built mostly through major pieces acquired via trade or free agency, and don't have a lot of young players coming up, which is something that's buoyed the Giants this year.

Luis Matos, Patrick Bailey, and Casey Schmitt, along with pitchers Tristan Beck, Keaton Winn, and Sean Hjelle, have provided a spark for the Giants this season that has their fans excited and the team energized. It's fairly clear that the rookies' arrival and strong performance (for the most par) have breathed life into the team and fanbase. For that reason, and the fact that the Giants are now in a strong playoff position, that it doesn't make sense when people list Giants players among those who might be available at this year's trade deadline.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

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