What's Behind San Francisco Giants' Stunning Power Surge?

The San Francisco Giants' lineup suddenly looks a lot more dangerous.

Aug 6, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Tyler Fitzgerald celebrates in the dugout. / Rafael Suanes-USA TODAY Sports

When one looks at the 2024 San Francisco Giants, pitching isn't the problem. The Giants have plenty of pitching, especially in the rotation. With Blake Snell, Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Jordan Hicks and Kyle Harrison, plus a quality bullpen behind them, there's no shortage of arms in San Francisco.

The reason that Giants have struggled to play .500 baseball, however, is their inconsistent offense. San Francisco's lineup lacks speed and power, making it difficult to score runs on a regular basis.

Recently, however, that's started to change. Over their last 15 games, the Giants are averaging 5.3 runs per game, nearly a full run higher than their season average of 4.4. Not surprisingly, the increased offense has produced one of the team's best streaks of the season, as San Francisco is 11-4 during that stretch.

Even more impressively, the Giants have managed to improve their production despite trading away one of their best hitters, Jorge Soler. One of the main reasons for their surge is hitting for more power, as they've clobbered 15 homers over their last seven games.

The Giants finally find themselves in the middle of an offensive surge after making adjustments with "intent" (via @mwagaman)https://t.co/9IV7IXjdHn

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 8, 2024

Mike Yastrzemski has observed a clear change in San Francisco's mentality and preparation. He told NBC Sports after Wednesday's win over the Washington Nationals that he's noticed his teammates spending more time in the batting cage and trying to do more damage with their swings rather than merely putting the ball in play.

"There's a lot of good work going on behind the scenes," Yastrzemski said. "I've seen a lot of guys in the cage early lately, a lot of guys taking very intentful reps."

It also helps that Tyler Fitzgerald has decided to become Barry Bonds. Over his last 20 games, the 26-year-old rookie has smashed 11 home runs, giving the Giants' offense a much-needed spark.

Given San Francisco's recent success, its new approach is paying major dividends. If the Giants keep swinging the bats like this and their aces stay healthy, they're going to be tough to beat down the stretch.