The San Francisco Giants are discovering that nostalgia can sting harder than a fastball up and in. Just weeks ago, the franchise sold its fans on a shiny new era featuring Rafael Devers as the centerpiece. Instead, what was supposed to be a cornerstone has felt more like quicksand, dragging everything down. And suddenly, the Giants’ present looks uncomfortably like their most forgettable past.

The San Francisco Giants have had a massive fall-off from where they were a month back in the standings. The Giants were flying, and then the Rafael Devers trade happened. Not to blame Devers, but since then, the Giants have been less “Giants” and more normal. And people are not holding back when it comes to reminding everyone that this has been happening for the past few years now.

In a recent video on the Brodie Brazil YouTube Channel, they talked about how the Giants have had an epic fall this season. They said, “Obvious hopes that this year would be different with Buster Posey… Adding Rafy Devers before the trade deadline and being nine games over .500… then suddenly hitting that wall again… Right now, they’ve lost 13 of 14 at home… they’ve been .500 for three straight years in a row… There’s no turning point to look back on… and at this pace, if you can believe it, they’re very likely to end up with a near .500 record four straight years.”

At first glance, the Giants began their season with promising balance, anchored by pitching excellence and timely offense. Mid-June optimism peaked as they hovered near the top, riding momentum and belief in clubhouse chemistry. Good hitting and solid arms had fans dreaming of a serious playoff push in this fresh era. That hopeful foundation made their later collapse all the more staggering.

However, the blockbuster Devers trade on June 15th sparked a dramatic decline, turning opportunity into unraveling. In the 43 games since then, San Francisco has posted the worst record in baseball at 19-34, while scoring an MLB-low average of 172 runs. Their offense with runners in scoring position (RISP) collapsed from .234 AVG/.772 OPS to a dismal .211/.632 post-trade. The Giants may have been described as “not the complete offensive black hole that they can appear to be” by NY Times on August 8th, but the problems were already there. Giants pitchers also rank fifth in FIP (3.88), and eighth in xFIP (3.96) despite being only 16th in fWAR (3.5). The bullpen and rotation, previously stalwart, have also faltered under stress and depleted depth.

Therefore, the Giants must urgently improve clutch hitting, especially with runners in scoring position, and restore offensive consistency. They also need to reinforce their pitching depth — both starters and relievers to avoid collapse under heavy workloads. Adding right-handed offensive options and reworking the hitting staff could help counterbalance left-leaning depth issues. Only by shoring up these glaring weaknesses can San Francisco rebuild momentum and salvage this season.

And that’s the cruel irony — what began as a leap forward with Rafael Devers has turned into a stumble backward for the San Francisco Giants. Baseball, after all, punishes blind optimism as ruthlessly as it rewards execution. If the Giants don’t address their hollow lineup and shaky pitching depth, they risk cementing themselves as MLB’s most expensive .500 nostalgia act. And in San Francisco, mediocrity disguised as “patience” won’t sell nearly as well as hope once did.

The fall of the Giants continues as they place another player on the IL.

The San Francisco Giants keep proving that rock bottom has a basement, and they’re still exploring. What once looked like a revival tour now feels like an extended injury report dressed up as a season. Matt Chapman’s latest trip to the IL only reinforces how quickly promise has curdled into parody. The Giants, it seems, can’t even field misfortune without stumbling into extra innings of disaster.

Matt Chapman’s season took a sharp turn after he sprained his right hand diving back to first base on June 8. Though he returned to the lineup on July 5, Chapman admitted the injury wasn’t fully healed and continued to affect him at the plate. An MRI later revealed inflammation, leading to cortisone shots and a trip back to the injured list. With the Giants sliding out of contention, the team has little incentive to rush back their star third baseman.

The hand issue came after Chapman carried a heavy workload, starting thirty-one consecutive games and logging nearly every defensive inning at third base. That grind eventually caught up to him, as his performance nosedived in August—hitting just .162 with a lone extra-base hit. The slump mirrored the Giants’ collapse, with the club losing thirteen of fourteen home games since mid-July. Even manager Bob Melvin, who praised Chapman’s toughness, admitted it was time to step back and reassess.

Now, without their Gold Glove anchor, the Giants are left to shuffle pieces in his absence. Casey Schmitt has shifted from second to his natural third base spot, while Christian Koss and Tyler Fitzgerald are being tested in the middle infield. The pitching staff has seen changes, too, with Keaton Winn recalled, Landen Roupp activated, and Ryan Walker briefly stepping away on paternity leave. In many ways, Chapman’s injury has forced San Francisco to prioritize long-term stability over short-term playoff aspirations.

Injuries happen to every team, but the Giants have turned them into a full-blown residency act. What began with Chapman gutting it out has now become the headliner in San Francisco’s collapse tour. Without Matt Chapman’s glove and presence, even Casey Schmitt’s promise feels like duct tape on a sinking ship. The Giants can shuffle Koss, Fitzgerald, Winn, and Roupp all they want—but irrelevance doesn’t need reinforcements. At this point, Bob Melvin might be managing expectations more than managing games.