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The San Francisco Giants are having a great season, overcoming obstacles and expectations to sit in second place, just two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers for first place. Yet, some lingering issues could haunt them as the season continues, and players who might drag them down with them. Three players have struggled in 2025 for the Giants, driving fans wild with their inconsistency and inability to perform at a high level.
The Giants are competing at a high level and performing well. Amazingly, they are 29-21 and competing head-to-head with the divisional rival Dodgers and San Diego Padres. Much of this is attributed to a pitching staff that is the sixth-best in baseball in team ERA. And while Giants hitters have not always been consistent, they are ninth in runs.
While the Giants have played well, oddsmakers still hesitate to give them a chance at the World Series. Ultimately, this is mainly because of certain lineup struggles and one future Hall of Fame pitcher who has not done a great job in the rotation. These three players must do more in the eyes of Giants fans to help the team thrive or risk being the reason they fail.
Matt Chapman is all or nothing
When the Giants signed Matt Chapman to a long-term deal, they expected to get a monster masher who could batter the ball over the fence while hitting for a decent average. Instead, it has not worked out in that way. While Chapman still had some power last season, hitting 27 out of the ballpark, it was evident he was unlikely to surpass the 36 he hit in 2019.
Before signing a long-term contract with the Giants, Chapman hit .240 with 17 home runs, 54 RBIs, and 66 runs through 144 games. Alarmingly, the numbers indicated a downward trend. But the Giants still signed him to a long-term deal.
Chapman is batting just .217 with nine home runs, 25 RBIs, and 26 runs this season. While those are not the greatest numbers, he is still on pace to hit 28 home runs, 77 RBIs, and 80 runs. Still, his low batting average has driven fans wild, and he has had games where he has done basically nothing but strike out.
Willy Adames is a shell of himself
Willy Adames signed a historic contract with the Giants last year, and many expected him to be the piece that helped carry the Giants to the next level. Unfortunately, he has slumped often. Adames had a good 2024, batting .251 with 32 home runs, 112 RBIs, and 93 runs over 161 games. Before that, he struggled mightily in 2023, which should have raised red flags.
Adames is batting just .214 with five home runs, 23 RBIs, and 29 runs through 50 games. Yes, he has stayed healthy and played in every game. But his struggles at the plate have been heavy. Consequently, his strikeouts remain high, having whiffed 57 times.
The Giants expected Adames to bring power with some decent hitting. Instead, he has only hit the ball out of the ballpark five times. If he plays a full season, he is projected to have only 16 home runs, which would be half of what he accomplished last season.
Giants fans have already seen their share of struggles from the lineup. Therefore, they expected more out of Adames, and it has not happened so far. There is still time, but Adames needs to make his mark in the Giants' lineup and show that he can bring the power.
Justin Verlander is hurt and struggling
Justin Verlander is injured, and there is no timetable for his return. Sadly, it is just another ailment in what has been a great career. But Verlander is older and was not pitching well before.
Verlander is just 0-3 with a 4.33 ERA over 10 starts with the Giants. While that is better than his numbers last season, it is still far below his career averages. Entering his 20th season, Verlander must do more to stay in the Giants' rotation.
Verlander's struggles are partly due to his declining velocity (his fastball only gets to 88 MPH) and lingering injury issues. Therefore, the Giants placed him on the Injured List, thinking he could properly heal. But the Giants need him at 100 percent. Also, they need Verlander to perform close to the previous levels he has shown.
Verlander is a future Hall-of-Famer with no doubt in anyone's mind. However, his struggles and ailments have hindered the Giants' rotation, which is still the fourth-best in baseball. The Giants don't need him to be an ace. However, they would still like Verlander to be productive and throw five innings with limited damage. Anything less will drive the Giants fan base wild and have them asking for changes.
