What stood out during SF Giants' eventful 10-game road trip?
CHICAGO - Every day of the Giants’ three-city, 10-game trip, one that took them from Denver to Milwaukee to Chicago, was eventful in its own way - for better or for worse.
There was Kyle Harrison’s revenge game and Logan Webb’s first true gem of the season; the 19-run outburst and the seven-homer barrage; the walk-offlosses and the 14-run obliteration; the introduction of third base coach Gary Pettis and the shocking promotion of outfielder Jonah Cox. And here’s the kicker: by playing the Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball, the Giants didn’t fly out of Chicago until the early hours of the morning. So much for a getaway day.
All in all, San Francisco returned home to open a six-game homestand that starts tonight against the Washington Nationals with five wins and five losses on the trip. They dropped two of three to the Colorado Rockies, the worst team in baseball by record, but they split a four-game set with the NL Central Division-leading Milwaukee Brewers and took two of three from the perpetually competitive Chicago Cubs.
The Giants (27-39) entered their series opener with the Nationals with the second-worst record in the National League, and made no progress in climbing back toward .500. But following impressive showings against two playoff contenders, they flew home with a new air of confidence.
“I don’t think the record reflects the energy in this clubhouse, how we feel about each other and how we feel about our season,” said third baseman Matt Chapman, who drove in the tie-breaking run in Sunday’s 2-1, 10-inning win over the Cubs. “We feel like there’s a lot of baseball left, and there’s a lot of good that can happen. We know that we have a lot of talent in this room.
“We haven’t shown it in a consistent fashion, but we believe in each other. We know that we’re capable of going on a run. Even this road trip, there were a lot of dogfights, a lot of back and forths, and we finished 5-5. We left some stuff on the table, and we know that, but I think that gives us some confidence to know that there’s more in the tank.”
If there is a positive to parse from this trip, it's that San Francisco's offense did some serious regressing to the mean.
Led by the blistering-hot Jung Hoo Lee, whose 15-game hitting streak is the longest in the majors, the Giants scored 68 runs during this 10-game road trip, putting up 12-run, 18-run, and 19-run performances. Entering the road trip, San Francisco ranked last in the majors in runs and 28th in OPS. Now, the team has climbed to 23rd in runs and is tied for ninth in OPS.
While the Giants’ 6.8 runs per game average during the trip looks impressive, it’s worth noting that their offense had a boom-or-bust element. Excluding the games in which they scored in double figures, San Francisco averaged only 2.7 runs over the other seven games.
The Giants hit 17 homers on the trip, including three each from Chapman, Willy Adames, and Casey Schmitt. But the true standout was Lee, who, before Monday, was hitting .561 since returning from the injured list. His .323 batting average before Monday’s game was tied with Luis Arraez for the fourth-best mark in the majors.
“I didn't try to just take time off the field," Lee said on Saturday through team interpreter Justin Han. "I went into the cage and just stood there. I didn't make any swings, but I was just trying to see a lot of pitches on the Trajekt (machine), which helped out a lot.”
Along with Lee, Chapman appears to have finally emerged from an extended slump by posting one of his best stretches of the season.
During the trip, Chapman hit .333 with three homers and a 1.048 OPS. Chapman broke a 53-game homerless drought with a two-run homer against the Brewers on Monday, then proceeded to blast two more (including a grand slam) during the Giants’ seven-homer afternoon on Friday.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be down forever, but it feels good to be able to feel like I can contribute,” said Chapman, who raised his OPS from .630 to .695 during the trip. “We really need it right now, and our backs are against the wall a little bit, and we need wins. To be able to feel like I’m coming into playing some good baseball so I can help, it feels good, for sure.”
While the offense continues to come alive, the bullpen remains the shakiest unit on this team despite combining for five scoreless innings on Sunday. San Francisco’s relievers allowed 36 runs over 39 2/3 innings during this trip, the nadir being on May 29 when right-hander Caleb Kilian allowed the game-tying and game-winning home runs to the Colorado Rockies.
Complicating matters is that left-hander Matt Gage landed on the 15-day injured list with right knee inflammation. Gage, who isn’t eligible to return until June 17 at the earliest, has been the bullpen’s workhorse, his 29 appearances leading all of San Francisco’s relievers.
Luckily for Giants manager Tony Vitello, a pair of right-handers might soon be on the way.
Ryan Walker has pitched well since being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on May 10, allowing just one run over 8 1/3 innings (1.08 ERA) for the River Cats with seven strikeouts to two walks. There’s also Jason Foley, who signed a one-year deal but has been rehabbing from right shoulder surgery. In eight appearances for Sacramento, Foley has a 2.89 ERA with six strikeouts over 8 2/3 innings.
“I think he’s done what he needs to, from my standpoint,” Vitello said of Walker. “Getting back out there again might be good for him. I know he’s worked on a couple of actual things while he’s out there, but part of it might pertain to the schedule or what’s going on with other guys, too.”
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This story was originally published June 8, 2026 at 8:09 AM.