© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
SAN FRANCISCO – On Wednesday night, the Giants played the San Diego Padres and lost 3-2. It was not the most exciting game of the season, nor was it the most important. Yet, there were some moments worth remembering in a game that precedes a crucial final series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Aramis Garcia has lots and lots of power
Garcia has played just 16 games in the major leagues this year. In that time, he’s batting .302 with four home runs, compared to the .233 average with 11 home runs he had in the minors this year. He had an impressive opposite-field home run in San Diego last week, while seemingly having no idea just how impressive it was.
In similar stoic, underplayed fashion, Garcia hit fourth homer of the year tonight, which came as the Giants had tallied just one prior hit and trailed the Padres 3-0. After Joe Panik walked, Garcia dug an 83-mph breaking ball out of the ground from his knees for a golf-shot two-run home run, cutting the Giants’ deficit to 3-2.
Aramis Garcia showing off his super power on Marvel Night ? pic.twitter.com/8JA1M6FLBs
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 27, 2018
Abiatal Avelino picked up his first (and second) major league hit(s)
For those unfamiliar with Avelino, a middle infielder, he’s one of the two prospects the Giants received along with pitcher Juan De Paula when they traded Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees. He was starting just his third-ever game for the Giants – his second at shortstop – and playing his fourth major league game.
If this is your first time hearing about Avelino, he’s easy to spot by his unique batting warmup, which involves a bent-knee stretch that looks both difficult and painful.
Abiatal Avelino struck out in his first big league at-bat. He has an interesting routine before getting to the plate: pic.twitter.com/3H2c8Rroa0
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) September 8, 2018
His first hit came in-between a pair of strikeouts and was the only hit the Giants had through seven innings.
Welcome to the big leagues, Abiatal Avelino! ?? pic.twitter.com/GNBYAVP9jy
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 27, 2018
Avelino’s second hit was in a much more important situation. After Garcia’s two-run homer cut the Giants’ deficit to one run, Austin Slater singled with two outs and Avelino followed it up with a single through the left side of the infield.
Tonight was a setup game for a potential playoff-spoiling series against the Dodgers
The Giants started four rookies tonight in Avelino, Garcia Slater and Chris Shaw. The decision was made by manager Bruce Bochy in a clear attempt to prepare for a meaningful series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at home this weekend. The series will close out the season. He kept Evan Longoria and Brandon Crawford out of the starting lineup in a bid to rest them before an off day and the series.
The Dodgers entered the game a half game up on the second-place Colorado Rockies and a game up on the Saint Louis Cardinals for the second NL Wild Card spot, but they were crushed by the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-2. The Rockies, meanwhile put on a clinic against the Philadelphia Phillies, winning 14-0 to take back first place in the NL West.
The Cardinals lost to the Milwaukee Brewers, however, leaving them still a game back of the Dodgers in the Wild Card race, but with a potential to jump them if they and the Giants win at least two of their next three. The Giants have the potential to knock the Dodgers out of the playoffs entirely, or at least force them into a one-game Wild Card playoff against the Brewers
Lineups, they’re always a-changing
The Giants fielded their 119th field player lineup of the season tonight. It’s a symptom of the injuries the team has faced and the lack of quality outfield depth. Alen Hanson started at third base for the sixth time this season, with Avelino getting his second start at shortstop and Garcia getting his seventh start behind the plate.
The lineup changes have shown how desperately the Giants will need to pursue outfielders in the offseason. They have fielded nine players in left field this season, the most of any position, with Hunter Pence leading all players with 37 starts there, by far the fewest of any position. In total, only Crawford, Longoria and Andrew McCutchen have started at least 100 games for the Giants at a single position this season.
Since McCutchen has left, the number of players to start in right field has ballooned to seven, tied for the third-most players to start there, along with second base.
This week is all about Hunter Pence
Last night, Pence went 2-for-5 with a home run and three runs scored, leading the Giants to a 5-4 victory over the Padres in the 12th inning after Madison Bumgarner’s walk-off single. Pence is in the final year of a five-year, $90-million contract. This week could very well feature his final appearances in a Giants uniform.
Bruce Bochy has already said that Pence will lead off the last three games of the year. Tonight, Pence received the loudest cheers in the stadium as he usually does. He was held hitless until the eighth, when he shot a single up the middle. He was thrown on a strike-him-out, throw-him-out situation, but ran with his characteristic rampant energy.
He became emotional earlier in the day during an interview with Amy Gutierrez in which he heard praises from his teammates. You can be sure there will be more emotions to follow in the final three games, and not just from Pence.