Sep 5, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals designated hitter Ivan Herrera (48) reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a solo home run against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Giants Missed a Major Opportunity in their Series with St. Louis

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Ryan Boman | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 2:31 PM ET

In what has been a roller coaster ride of a season, the San Francisco Giants have been considered both in and out of the playoff chase at different times. However, their recent power surge and inspired play had rallied the club back into contention. However, just as they looked like they were hitting full speed down the stretch, they were stonewalled in St. Louis, losing two of three to the Cardinals.

In recent weeks, the slugging of hitters like Rafael Devers and Willy Adames led a San Fran surge, and the clubhouse demeanor changed. With rookie Drew Gilbert and third baseman Matt Chapman bringing a new intensity, the Giants' fan base had settled in for what promised to be an exciting race. No one expected the flat tire that the team experienced against a Cardinals squad that's currently sitting at 72-72 and in fourth place in the National League Central Division.

Things started strong for San Francisco as they slammed St. Louis, 8-2, on Friday. But the weekend saw a change of fortunes. The Giants dropped Saturday's game, 3-2, on a walkoff hit by Jordan Walker, who had been 0 for his last 25 at that point. Then, St. Louis snatched the rubber match of the series with a 4-2 victory on Sunday.

Where do the Giants Go From Here?

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Fortunately, the team is still just four games out of the final NL Wild Card spot, currently held by the New York Mets. On the flip side, the Giants cannot lose any more series in this manner if they expect to play in the postseason. There's only so much of the regular season left, and this club is running out of time. There's only so much time they can simply 'tread water' and hope to play in October.

For every day that passes that they don't gain ground, they lose another date on the calendar. The clock is ticking on San Francisco's season, and their only road to redemption is to rally back under excruciating odds. Manager Bob Melvin knows that, and he expressed it in his post-game thoughts.

“Disappointing,” Melvin said. “We’ve got to at least win the series. Normally, you’d think a 4-2 trip’s not a bad trip, but in our position right now, we have to win more games than that. After winning the first game [in St. Louis], winning one of the next two was important.”