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The Season That Got Away — and the Future That May Be Arriving
Well, Giants fans, we have officially reached September. Normally, that means pennant races, scoreboard watching, calculating magic numbers, and wondering whether the Dodgers are finally going to stumble.
This year, not so much.
The G-Men enter September at 58–82, in last place in the National League West, 24½ games behind the team from Los Angeles, and 15½ games out of the final Wild Card spot. The Giants are also staring at a number nobody around here wants to discuss: 19 more losses would produce only the second 100-loss season in franchise history.
That is not exactly the September baseball we had in mind when spring training began. But—and this is a big BUT—the last few weeks have provided something that may ultimately be more important than a couple of extra wins in a lost season: We are finally getting to see the kids play. And some of them are giving us a reason to believe that 2027 might be a very different story.
Where We Stand
The NL West has become a two-tiered affair. The Dodgers are sitting comfortably on top at 82–57. Arizona and San Diego are battling around the Wild Card line, with both clubs hovering around 73–67.
And then there are the Giants.
So, let's be honest: the 2026 playoff race is over. But the season isn't. For Buster Posey, Tony Vitello, and the Giants' baseball operation, these final games are now a very expensive audition for 2027. And that's what makes the upcoming homestand interesting.
The Next Test: Cardinals and Padres
The Giants return to Oracle Park on Monday, September 7, for three games with the St. Louis Cardinals, followed by a three-game weekend series against the San Diego Padres beginning Friday, September 11. That's six games against two teams still playing meaningful baseball.
St. Louis is hovering around the Wild Card race. San Diego is fighting for October. The Giants? We're playing for the future.
That makes this a pretty good time to be at Oracle Park. There is no pressure to protect a playoff position. There is no reason not to give the young players regular at-bats. And there is every reason to find out which of these kids can actually play Major League Baseball.
My prediction? The Giants will play better at home than their overall record suggests. They are 33–36 at Oracle Park compared with only 25–46 on the road. That's a remarkable difference and one more reason not to write off these six games. I'll go out on a limb and say the Giants take four of six: two of three from St. Louis and two of three from San Diego. Why? Because the kids are playing like they have something to prove.
The Core Four: Position Players to Watch
Bryce Eldridge: The Real Deal? Let's start with the obvious one. The 21-year-old has gone from top prospect to legitimate Major League contributor much faster than expected. As of now, Eldridge is hitting approximately .263 with 15 home runs, 45 RBI, and an .806 OPS. But the numbers don't tell the whole story. What is most impressive is the way he is adjusting. On Wednesday in Pittsburgh, Eldridge delivered the go-ahead RBI double in the 10th inning. He has demonstrated an ability to shorten his swing when necessary, take his walks, and avoid chasing pitches. Against four-seam fastballs, he has been particularly dangerous, hitting .360 with a .686 slugging percentage. The Czar's question is no longer whether Bryce Eldridge belongs in the Major Leagues. The question is how good he can become. And the Giants need to find out by playing him—every day.
And don’t forget Devers in this equation. He and Elridge are weapons we want to see more of this year, and next. More balls will assuredly start going into McCovey Cove with those two hitting back-to-back in the line-up. And if the just signed Payton Bonds (the next coming of Barry) plays in the minors like his older relatives, I’d recommend getting your canoe ready.
Jonah Cox: Where Did This Guy Come From? Here's another one I really like. Cox wasn't supposed to be the story of 2026. He wasn't surrounded by enormous expectations, yet here he is. Cox has hit approximately .290 with four home runs, 10 RBI, and an .879 OPS. More importantly, he brings something the Giants desperately need: energy. He runs. He plays defense. He takes chances and puts pressure on the opponent. His rise from Double-A directly to San Francisco was hardly conventional, but his performance makes him impossible to ignore. Let's find out what we've got.
Drew Gilbert: Don't Give Up on Him. I also want to see a lot more of Drew Gilbert. The Giants acquired him from the Mets organization as part of the Tyler Rogers trade, and he has had an uneven Major League experience. But the talent is obvious. Gilbert has shown flashes of power, athleticism, and the ability to play center field. His two-double performance against Cincinnati was a reminder of his offensive potential. The Giants don't need to know whether Gilbert is a superstar; they need to know whether he can be the useful everyday player he was for Tony Vitalli at Tennessee. September is the perfect time to find out.
Osleivis Basabe: The Intriguing Wild Card. One of the more unexpected developments has been Osleivis Basabe. He has provided some spark and versatility, including a home run in the Giants' recent win over Atlanta. We are not ready to anoint anybody just yet, but that's what September is for. Play the kids. Give them 100 at-bats instead of 25, let them make mistakes, and see who adjusts.
The Young Arms & The Pitching Question
Now we get to the interesting part. Who, exactly, is going to pitch for the Giants in 2027? Logan Webb remains the anchor, but the 2026 season has demonstrated just how thin pitching depth can become. The Giants cannot enter 2027 assuming five healthy starters will magically appear. They need six or seven legitimate options. Luckily, two young arms are making their case right now:
Landen Roupp: The Czar has been impressed with Roupp. At 27, he remains an important part of the Giants' pitching future. He currently sits around a 4.25 ERA with 133 strikeouts in nearly 140 innings. Those aren't Cy Young numbers, but they prove he can pitch. In his recent start against Pittsburgh, he held them to one run over five innings using his cutter to generate five swing-and-misses. He has the stuff to remain in the rotation if he can find consistency.
Yunior Marte: Now here is someone to watch. The 23-year-old right-hander made his Major League debut against Arizona and looked remarkably comfortable, going 4⅔ innings while allowing just three hits. He came directly from Double-A Richmond, bypassing Triple-A entirely. He's 6-foot-6, has a mid-90s fastball, and a slider that can miss bats. Could he be a starter? A bullpen weapon? The Giants don't have to decide today, but they need to give him the ball to find out.
The Most Important Six Games of the Season?
Why are these games against the Cardinals and Padres the most important? Not because they will affect the standings. They won't. But because these six games may tell us more about the 2027 Giants than the first 140 games did.
We want to see Eldridge playing every day. Cox getting regular at-bats. Gilbert getting an extended look. Basabe getting his opportunity. Marte getting another start. Roupp continuing to establish himself.
And we want Buster Posey to watch very carefully. Because this is no longer about squeezing a few more wins out of 2026. It's about figuring out who should wear orange and black next April.
The Games on the Dance Card for Next Week
Cardinals vs. Giants (Sept 7–9): St. Louis is getting meaningful contributions from its young players, though shortstop Masyn Winn's absence on the injured list with a broken thumb hurts them, alongside injuries to JJ Wetherholt and Everson Pereira.
Cardinals Threats: Thomas Saggese is the Cardinal I would be most concerned about right now. He has been producing in the clutch and just played a major role in St. Louis' extra-inning victory over the Dodgers. Joshua Baez is another dangerous young power hitter, and Leo Bernal just hit his first major-league home run.
Cardinals Pitching: The Cardinals are less intimidating on the mound than San Diego. Andre Pallante is on the IL, which further complicates their rotation. Their best route to winning games in San Francisco is to generate early offense and get to the Giants' bullpen.
Czar's Prediction: Giants 2–1. The Giants have home-field advantage, and our pitching gives us a slight edge if we can contain Saggese and Baez.
Padres vs. Giants (Sept 11–13): All right, the Padres come in looking playoff-bound while the Giants are in rebuild mode. San Diego's offense is deeper, and they've taken most of the head-to-head meetings so far this year.
The Blueprint: The Giants need strong starts, especially from Logan Webb, and must minimize costly walks and errors. Young guys like Jonah Cox are injecting some energy, and Jung Hoo Lee continues to be steady, but realistically, San Diego's lineup and rotation give them the upper hand.
Czar's Prediction: Padres 2–1. Expect San Diego to take the series unless Webb can completely steal one on the mound.
The Czar's September Prescription
Forget the Wild Card. Forget the Dodgers. Forget the standings. For the next few weeks, I'm watching to see who looks like a Major Leaguer.
Who has the temperament? Who adjusts? Who wants the ball? Who wants the at-bat? Who makes the winning play? And perhaps most importantly: Who looks like he belongs?
The Giants have used 22 rookies this season, including 14 players making their Major League debuts. That's a lot of kids. Now we need to figure out which ones are keepers. If Eldridge is the real thing, Cox continues to develop, Gilbert finds his stroke, Basabe proves he belongs, and a couple of these young pitchers emerge, suddenly the 2026 disaster starts looking a little less disastrous.
Baseball has a funny way of doing that. One year you're counting losses. The next year you're counting wins.
So come on down to Oracle Park. The weather is beautiful, the fog may or may not cooperate, the Ghirardelli sundaes are to die for, and the crab sandwich still tastes pretty good.
Best of all, there is finally something new to watch.
The kids.
Let the torture commence. Ciao, and GO GIANTS!
The Czar
Even Tin-Tin knows the kids are all right!
Available Tickets & Homestand Schedule:
MON: 9/7 (3:05 PM) vs. Cards [4 tickets available – Got a better way to spend Labor Day?]
TUES: 9/8 (6:45 PM) vs. Cards [3 tickets available — I’m going and need company!]
WED: 9/9 (12:45 PM) vs. Cards [4 tickets available]
FRI: 9/11 (7:15 PM) vs. Padres [4 tickets available]
SAT: 9/12 (1:05 PM) vs. Padres [4 tickets available – Willie Adames Jersey]
SUN: 9/13 (1:05 PM) vs. Padres [3 tickets available, I’m going – Logan Webb Jersey]
We use MailChimp, so give permission for the blog to arrive in your mailbox if you want to receive the blog and participate in the fun. Past blogs can be found at www.beveragelaw.com in the Czar’s blog archive.
THE PROTOCOL & STADIUM DETAILS:
The Seats: The firm has four premium seats located in Section 118 (Premium Lower Boxes), Rows 25 and 26. These are spectacular spots directly below the press box, 25 rows behind home plate on the left side behind the protective screen.
Foul Ball Alert: This is prime foul ball territory for left-handed hitters, so make sure to bring your baseball glove! (The Czar has snagged 22 foul balls here over 24 years and is actively hunting for more).
Ticket Allocation: If our internal firm members, clients, or close friends haven't claimed the seats by calling and reserving a game, tickets go to the first serious person who replies.
The Rules: If you request these high-demand seats and leave them empty, you will be removed from the ticket distribution list unless there is a valid, unavoidable emergency. A waitlist will be strictly enforced. When 4 seats are open, we regularly split them 2-and-2 if the initial request only needs a pair. You can shoot your shot for all 4, but remember—I'm the Czar, so it's my final call!
A Little Slice of Firm History at Oracle Park
While you're enjoying the patio or hanging out inside the legendary Gotham Club (where the Czar was a founder), keep an eye out for baseball's finest traditions! Check out the historical pieces below showcasing our roots at the ballpark:
