Why Giants will clinch NL Wild Card spot

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Why Giants will clinch NL Wild Card spot

Zachary Howell · ClutchPoints

Thu, Aug 28, 2025 ·

5 min read

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The post Why Giants will clinch NL Wild Card spot appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The San Francisco Giants entered the second game of their series against the Chicago Cubs at 64-68. Bob Melvin 's team is on a winning streak that could propel it back into contention in the National League West. While a division title is out of the question, the Giants continue to fight . A favorable schedule and stars like Logan Webb and Rafael Devers give their team a chance.

The Giants have been a tough out all season. Melvin's team is under .500, but a lot of that is due to just how good the NL West is. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the defending World Series champions. Even they have had a tough time fending off the San Diego Padres in the race for the top spot. The Arizona Diamondbacks have not given up on their playoff hopes, either.

Regardless of the struggles San Francisco has faced this season, it made the decision to go all-in on the team's core. When the Giants traded for Rafael Devers before the trade deadline, fans around the league were confused. In their defense, there was no indication that San Francisco's front office had any desire to add a star to their lineup. And yet, that is exactly what happened.

Devers' arrival was supposed to reset the Giants and put them on the fast track to success. Instead, San Francisco has hovered around the .500 mark, leading a lot of fans to call the season a failure. However, the clock has not hit zero for the Giants just yet. Melvin's lineup is still good enough to fight its way into the postseason, even if it is just as a Wild Card in the NL.

Here are three reasons why San Francisco will secure one of the NL's three Wild Card spots.

San Francisco's pitching can cover up an inconsistent offense

Webb has never been the most vocal player on the Giants. However, San Francisco's ace has stepped up to the mic to defend his team as it navigates through an inconsistent season. All the while, the veteran starter is the best pitcher in Melvin's rotation, tallying 12 wins so far, the top mark for San Francisco's rotation. His dominance has been a calming presence for the team.

While Webb has been great this season, he is not alone. Robbie Ray has been almost as good despite facing his own struggles throughout the season. Also, it looks like Justin Verlander is getting back on track for San Francisco after a horrific start to the 2025 season. If all three are on their game, there might not be a better trio of pitchers in Major League Baseball on the mound.

The Giants will be without Randy Rodriguez thanks to soreness in his right arm. Losing the All-Star reliever makes things a bit more difficult for Melvin. However, San Francisco has the bullpen depth to survive without him and not lose any more ground in the NL West. However, his return will play a huge role as the Giants try to fight their way into the postseason.

Rafael Devers' revival at the plate could be key to an offensive comeback

Devers was excited to join San Francisco's lineup when he arrived earlier this summer. The former All-Star infielder entered his new situation ready to contribute to Melvin's offense and help the team make some noise in the NL West. However, the initial return left Giants fans asking for more. Despite his struggles at the beginning, Devers appears ready for the final stretch.

If Devers and Willy Adames play at their peak, the San Francisco offense is a formidable machine. Adames has been good for the Giants, even against his former team . Their production is key to the Giants' success, even if the team's pitching is elite. Luckily for San Francisco, Devers and Adames are capable of turning their offense on in a split-second when it is needed the most.

So far this season, Devers has racked up 25 home runs and 84 RBIs . Those numbers are nowhere near his career-highs, but his history suggests that a strong finish is in order. The Giants' designated hitter needs to reach those levels if San Francisco is going to make up the seven games that stand between them and the postseason. He is likely to find his swing down the stretch, though.

The Giants' schedule is a cakewalk to finish the regular season

The Giants are in arguably the league's toughest division. That means that they rarely get to take their foot off the pedal when it comes to their schedule. For the majority of the season, that has been the case. However, San Francisco caught a huge break looking at their schedule down the final stretch of the regular season. After the series against the Cubs, things get much easier.

A rival manager said that San Francisco is a team "built to win" earlier this season. The Giants have a chance to prove it with less than 30 games left in their season. Only two series left on San Francisco's schedule are against teams with winning records, and both are matchups with the Dodgers. That lucky break gives the Giants a chance to ride momentum up the standings.

Los Angeles currently leads the season series 4-2. However, all but one of their games has been decided by three runs or less. San Francisco is capable of giving the Dodgers fits, which bodes well for Los Angeles' competition in the NL West. The Giants will have the support of their city in the matchup , which could be all the edge they need to secure an NL Wild Card spot.

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