San Francisco Giants Have Bright Spots Emerge Among Dark, Disappointing Season

Some building blocks emerged for the San Francisco Giants during a disappointing season.

Aug 14, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos (from left), shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald and second baseman Brett Wisely sit in the dugout before taking on the Atlanta Braves at Oracle Park. / D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

There's no other way to really cut it; the 2024 season for the San Francisco Giants as a massive disappointment.

The front office spent a ton of money ahead of the campaign, bringing in what they felt were upgrades to help push the team back into playoff contention. Reigning Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was signed in free agency, while former award winner Robbie Ray was acquired in a trade from the Seattle Mariners.

Jordan Hicks was also signed, reshaping the rotation headlined by Logan Webb.

None of those additions panned out incredibly well, as Snell took until July to get going. Ray and Hicks both ended the year on the injured list.

For the lineup, Jorge Soler and Jung Hoo Lee were signed. 

The veteran didn’t make it through the season with the Giants, as he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in what amounted to basically a salary dump. The KBO import was struggling to adjust to the MLB before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury.

The misses ahead of the 2024 campaign ultimately cost Farhan Zaidi his job, as he was replaced by Buster Posey. General manager Pete Putila will be reassigned elsewhere in the organization.

Third baseman Matt Chapman was the only true home run of a disastrous spending spree. Originally signed to a three-year, $54 million contract, he played well enough that the team signed him to a six-year, $151 extension, replacing the final two years of the deal.

An 80-82 record wasn’t what anyone expected, but at least there were some positives to take away from the underwhelming year.

As shared by Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report, the one thing we learned about San Francisco is, “A Step Back with a Silver Lining”.

“It was a breakout year for center fielder Heliot Ramos and shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald, and a promising one for hurlers Kyle Harrison and Hayden Birdsong. Meanwhile, slugging first baseman Bryce Eldridge had a fine year across four levels of the minors.

Which is ultimately to say that Buster Posey, the Giants' once and hopefully future hero, has things to work with in his new role in Zaidi's stead. If anything, the pressure's on him not to ruin what Zaidi was building,” the MLB expert wrote.

It is the dawn of a new era for the Giants. Posey, who helped the team win three World Series as a player, will now be tasked with bringing the franchise back to prominence as a member of the front office.

Finding a new general manager to work with will be his first major task. After that, the team will get to work identifying players who can help raise their level of performance on the field following their third straight season without a trip to the playoffs.