One of the best stories in the MLB this season has been the San Francisco Giants. Despite being an afterthought in a division with the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres, the Giants are currently leading the NL West with a 46-26 record.

No one could've predicted this team would have one of the best offenses in the big leagues and a very solid pitching staff. But with a nice mix of experienced vets and young talent, the Giants have been a force to be reckoned with.

Offense is thriving

In case you forgot, San Fran still have three World Series-winning players in Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford. While the trio isn't young by any means, they're all producing at a level that's propelled the Giants to a fantastic record so far. San Francisco has already clubbed 107 homers this season, which is tied for first in the big leagues with the Blue Jays. These three veterans have combined to hit 39 of them, with Crawford going deep 16 times already. Posey also leads the club with a .329 average.

Evan Longoria has really struggled to find his previous brilliance from his days with the Rays, but he's currently enjoying a bounce-back year. The three-time All-Star is hitting .280 for the Giants and is one of the most dangerous bats in their lineup.

There really aren't any star players on this team. Guys like Alex Dickerson, Mike Yastrzemski, and Austin Slater have just been flat-out consistent. The Giants rank in the top-10 of almost every notable offensive category and also score five runs per game, which ranks them third. They're just very fundamentally sound.

Gausman leading the way on the bump

You can't talk about the San Francisco Giants without mentioning Kevin Gausman. The 30-year-old has been absolutely lights out all year long, posting an 8-1 record and an impressive 1.51 ERA. He has been the leading catalyst for the staff and is certainly a favorite to win the Cy Young if Jacob deGrom slows down his ridiculous campaign.

However, the rest of the rotation has all been brilliant. Anthony DeSclafani, Johnny Cueto, Alex Wood, and Logan Webb have all given their ballclub a chance in most contests by pitching deep into games. As a staff, the Giants boast a 3.32 ERA; one of the best in the bigs.

Can they sustain this?

All the talk in the NL West is about the Dodgers and Padres. Sure, they're both extremely talented teams who have numerous superstars. But, the Giants are no joke. They play the game the right way on both sides of the ball and have truly been a cinderella story of some sorts this season.

To be honest, it's been quite refreshing to see the former World Series champs get back to relevance after a couple of dismal campaigns. It also goes to show that it's not all about the big names. Put together a gritty roster with hungry players and veterans and success is very possible.

Will the San Francisco Giants be a legitimate contender in October? That remains to be seen. But, they're making a loud statement in one of the best divisions in baseball.