Aug 21, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers (16) is congratulated by San Francisco Giants shortstop Willy Adames (2) after hitting a solo home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Can the Giants Really Battle Their Way Back to an NL Wild Card Spot?

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Aug 29, 2025 5:21 PM ET

They say that in baseball, crazy things can happen in the course of 162 games. Right now in San Francisco, one of the craziest things happening right now is the resurgence of the Giants, who seemed to have awoke from a summer slumber to make this Autumn incredibly intriguing.

Expected to be a contender in 2025, San Francisco has struggled with injuries, inconsistency, and some moves at the MLB trade deadline that initially blew up in their face. However, following a terrible stretch at Oracle Park, the team has been hitting on all cylinders in the midst of a 'mini streak' of five games in a row. They just capped off a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs, with a 4-3 win on Thursday.

While it's still a long shot that the team can somehow squeeze its way into the playoffs, they are now six games out of the Wild Card race, behind the New York Mets, who hold the final berth right now. The Boys from the Big Apple have been playing good baseball as well; they recently swept the first-place Philadelphia Phillies. However, this flash of lightning from the Giants has fans around the Bay Area possibly believing in miracles again.

"Look, we went through a really bad stretch and hopefully we're getting on the other side of it," Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the game. "It feels like old times."

What's Next for the San Francisco Giants?

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The Giants (66-68) open a three-game home stand against the Baltimore Orioles (60-74), who are in last place in the American League East Division. Then, they travel to Colorado to face the worst team in Major League Baseball, the 38-96 Rockies. So the club has a chance to shave off a few of the games they are behind against two teams that have nothing left to play for.

Again, just because it's still mathematically possible, the Giants still have an uphill battle. However, they've had inspired play this week, as evidenced by a walk-off win on Thursday that saw shortstop Willy Adames belt two home runs. On top of that, Rafael Devers - who has been beleaguered since being brought in from Boston - has started to hit the ball well. So there's at least some light at the end of the tunnel.

It's a flickering light of hope for Giants fans, but as President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey stated, "We're up against it, but it's not out of the realm of possibility."

This article first appeared on San Francisco Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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