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What we learned as leadoff Drew Gilbert ignites Giants' offense in win vs. Twins
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- What we learned as leadoff Drew Gilbert ignites Giants' offense in win vs. Twins
What we learned as leadoff Drew Gilbert ignites Giants' offense in win vs. Twins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants' final homestand of the 2026 MLB season started with positive feelings on the position player side, but another injury on the pitching side.
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Behind a top prospect and an outfielder who has made a second-half statement, they got a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins . The victory was the 65th of the season and guaranteed that the Giants would come up short of their 98 losses in 2017, their most since moving to Third and King.
A debut always brings some buzz, and Bo Davidson's brought a little extra to Oracle Park. The organization's top outfield prospect singled in his first at-bat and got a standing ovation. That hit helped ignite an early two-run rally, and Drew Gilbert tacked on two more in the second with a single. Gilbert's homer in the fifth made it 5-1 and continued a breakout second half for the young outfielder.
The good vibes dissipated quite a bit in the fourth when Blade Tidwell became the latest Giants starter to come out of the game with an injury, but the bullpen continued his good work, with Tristan Beck , Sam Hentges and Jason Foley getting the lead to Trent Harris, who picked up his second save.
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Not Again …
Tidwell's 57th pitch was a sweeper, and he grimaced as it left his hand. He immediately waved his glove at the dugout, and a minute later he was headed back to the clubhouse with a member of the training staff.
The injury came at a time when Tidwell was continuing to show that he should get an opportunity to be in the mix next season. He had four strikeouts and had allowed just one run over 3 1/3 innings, continuing the progress he made last week in St. Louis , when he allowed two earned over 6 2/3 innings.
If that was the end of his season — and it certainly looked like it was — Tidwell made 16 appearances, including eight starts in the second half. He posted a 4.45 ERA and 4.74 FIP, with 46 strikeouts in 56 2/3 innings.
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The Giants already have lost young starters Hayden Birdsong , Carson Whisenhunt and Trevor McDonald to elbow injuries this season. Birdsong is the only one who is considered an option for 2027.
The Debut
Davidson joined a pretty cool list before he ever swung the bat. He became the first Giant since Dan Gladden in 1983 to bat third in his MLB debut, and just the sixth over the past 75 years. Two of the others are Willie Mays and Willie McCovey.
When Davidson did swing the bat, it was ferocious. He took a huge cut at a 95 mph fastball from right-hander Zebby Matthews and then battled for several minutes before driving the ninth pitch of the at-bat into right field. Davidson immediately stole second, which allowed him to score on Brett Harris ' single.
With that sequence, Davidson became the first Giant since Johnny Vergez to get a hit, a stolen base and a run in his big league debut. He grounded out in his next two at-bats and then struck out.
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The Debut, Part II
The Giants and Marcelo Mayer wanted the infielder to get on the field before the end of the year, but the calendar didn't help. The Triple-A season ended on Sunday while Mayer was finishing his rehab from a foot injury. He went in the lineup — and the cleanup spot — Monday without a rehab assignment, and he had not taken live at-bats since Aug. 18 with the River Cats.
Mayer looked predictably rusty, striking out in all four of his at-bats. The plan is to get him a few games this week at DH so he feels a bit more comfortable heading into the offseason. At the moment, the Giants envision him as a strong option to start at second base in 2027.
