Giants at Guardians: 3 Keys to Stealing the Series
Giants vs. Guardians: Late-Season Series Preview
The Backstory: An Early Trade
The San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Guardians made a trade early in the season. Now, months later, they’re facing each other in a late-season series. The players involved in that trade are expected to play big roles for both teams. Both teams have had disappointing seasons, so this series is a chance to see how those trade pieces are performing.
Important Point: This series features players who were swapped earlier this year—keep an eye on them!
How Both Teams Are Doing (Team Stats)
Here’s a simple breakdown of where each team stands. Think of these like report cards for the whole season.
San Francisco Giants (51 Wins – 73 Losses)
- Run Differential: -67 (They’ve allowed 67 more runs than they’ve scored)
- Offense (wRC+): 20th in MLB at 97 — slightly below average
- Baserunning: 26th at -4.9 runs — costing the team runs on the bases
- Defense: 18th at -20.9 runs — below average glove work
- Starting Pitching ERA: 19th at 4.37 (FIP 4.09)
- Bullpen ERA: 24th at 4.38 (FIP 4.32)
ELI5: wRC+ measures how good a team’s hitters are (100 = average). ERA is earned run average—lower is better. FIP estimates what a pitcher’s ERA should be based on things they control (strikeouts, walks, home runs).
Cleveland Guardians (60 Wins – 65 Losses)
- Run Differential: -32
- Offense (wRC+): 24th at 94 — below average
- Baserunning: 9th at +5.2 runs — one of the best in baseball!
- Defense: 8th at -4.8 runs — solid defense
- Starting Pitching ERA: 10th at 3.77 (FIP 3.99)
- Bullpen ERA: 12th at 3.97 (FIP 3.90)
Important Point: The Guardians are better at running the bases, playing defense, and pitching. The Giants struggle in almost every area.
The Pitching Matchups (Game by Game)
Here are the scheduled starters for each game. ERA = runs allowed per 9 innings (lower = better). FIP = what their ERA should be based on skill.
Tuesday, 6:40 PM ET
| Pitcher | Team | Hand | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whisenhunt | Giants | LHP | 6.11 | 5.40 |
| Griffin | Guardians | LHP | 3.25 | 4.23 |
Edge: Guardians — Griffin has been much more effective.
Wednesday, 6:40 PM ET
| Pitcher | Team | Hand | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TBD (Houser or Wilkinson) | Giants | RHP / LHP | 4.28 / ? | 4.67 / ? |
| Messick | Guardians | LHP | 2.59 | 3.23 |
Edge: Guardians — Messick has been excellent. Giants’ starter is uncertain.
Thursday, 1:10 PM ET
| Pitcher | Team | Hand | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roupp | Giants | RHP | 4.31 | 3.62 |
| Williams | Guardians | RHP | 3.74 | 3.59 |
Edge: Slight Guardians — Williams has better surface stats; Roupp’s FIP suggests he’s been a bit unlucky.
Who’s Hitting Well? (Offensive Leaders)
wRC+ = Weighted Runs Created Plus. 100 = league average. Higher = better.
Giants Top Hitters
- Bryce Eldridge — 117 wRC+ (17% above average)
- Rafael Devers — 117 wRC+
- Casey Schmitt — 114 wRC+
- Jung Hoo Lee — 111 wRC+
- Victor Bericoto — 109 wRC+
Note: Five Giants hitters are above average. That’s a bright spot!
Guardians Top Hitters
- Nathaniel Lowe — 128 wRC+ (28% above average!)
- Chase DeLauter — 127 wRC+ (currently injured — "please, be back")
- Angel Genao — 126 wRC+
- Austin Hedges — 105 wRC+
- Steven Kwan — 104 wRC+
- José Ramírez — 103 wRC+
- Travis Bazzana — 102 wRC+
Important Point: The Guardians have three hitters way above average (126+), led by Lowe and DeLauter. Ramírez and Kwan are steady veterans near league average.
What to Watch For
- The Trade Pieces — Which players from the early-season trade are starting? How are they performing?
- Giants’ Turnaround? — The article suggests "if ever there is a time for the season to turn around, it should be now." Can they win a series?
- Pitching Advantage — Cleveland’s starters look stronger on paper in all three games.
- Young Stars — Watch Eldridge, Schmitt, Lee, Bericoto (Giants) and DeLauter, Genao, Bazzana (Guardians) — the future of both franchises.
- Baserunning Battle — Guardians are elite (+5.2 runs); Giants are poor (-4.9). Expect Cleveland to manufacture runs.
Summary
- Giants (51-73) and Guardians (60-65) meet for a 3-game series.
- Both teams had disappointing seasons, but Cleveland has been better at pitching, defense, and baserunning.
- Guardians hold a clear pitching edge in all three matchups.
- Offensively, both teams have young stars performing well above average (wRC+ > 110).
- The early-season trade adds extra storyline—watch for those players.
- Giants need a spark; Guardians look to keep building toward next year.
FAQ
What does wRC+ mean?
wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) measures how good a hitter is compared to league average. 100 = average. 117 means 17% better than average. It accounts for park effects and league changes.
What’s the difference between ERA and FIP?
ERA = actual runs allowed per 9 innings. FIP = Fielding Independent Pitching — what a pitcher’s ERA should be based only on strikeouts, walks, and home runs (things the defense doesn’t affect). If FIP is lower than ERA, the pitcher may have been unlucky.
Why is run differential important?
Run differential (runs scored minus runs allowed) is often a better predictor of future performance than win-loss record. The Giants (-67) and Guardians (-32) both have negative differentials, meaning they’ve been outscored overall.
Who are the "trade pieces"?
The article doesn’t name them specifically, but they’re players swapped between the teams earlier this season. They’re now key contributors for both clubs in this series.
Why does the article say "please, be back" for Chase DeLauter?
DeLauter is injured. He’s been one of Cleveland’s best hitters (127 wRC+), so the writer is hoping he returns soon.