81-81. The definition of mediocrity. After another rollercoaster season, the San Francisco Giants remain too inconsistent to contend, yet not bad enough to rebuild. 

Four short years ago, the Giants earned the best record in baseball, finishing with 107 wins. They held a 2-1 divisional series lead over the Dodgers, and sat just one win away from the National League Championship Series. The Giants proceeded to lose the next two games in heartbreaking fashion, eliminating them from the playoffs. Since this series, the Giants haven’t returned to the postseason, nor come close. 

Stretches of the 2025 Giants season felt reminiscent of the 2021 team. On June 13, they were 41-29, and tied with the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the National League West. However, the dynamic shifted after the team made a shocking midseason trade, acquiring slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox. The move bolstered the lineup, but disrupted the clubhouse, and threw off the team’s rhythm.

The Giants’ quality of play began to sharply decline. Devers performed fine, yet the team around him collapsed. The pitching faltered, and the offense went cold. The Giants entered a two-month tailspin, dropping out of the playoff picture entirely. By Aug. 22, San Francisco was seven games below .500, at a dismal 61-68 record. This frustrating stretch was highlighted by errors, blown saves, and baserunning blunders. A late season surge put them back into the wildcard chase, but crucial road losses were too much to overcome. After two disappointing seasons, manager Bob Melvin was fired.

In 2025, the Giants showed promise, yet their form faded as the season progressed. They played an erratic style of baseball, which led to a dramatic fall off in their quality of play post All-Star break. If the Giants want success that is sustainable throughout the season, they must avoid the streaky, up-and-down play that has plagued recent years. 

To return to the playoffs, the Giants must recapture the identity that defined their successful 2021 campaign. The team’s current General Manager, Buster Posey, was a key part of the 2021 squad. One of his top offseason priorities will be establishing an identity similar to what brought them success four years ago. Before that season, no one had expected the team to make the playoffs, yet they set a franchise record for wins. The 2026 Giants hold a similar sneaky potential. 

The Giants’ organization has the talent and leadership necessary to reach the postseason. If San Francisco can follow the blueprint laid out by their predecessors, playoff baseball will return to The Bay sooner than most fans expect.