Last year, the Giants’ home opener started with Brandon Belt’s boat theatrics and then became the “Ruf Is On The Move” game, when Austin Slater drove in the hefty outfielder for the game-winning run. Those Giants won 80 of their next 162 games in an epitome of mediocrity.
In 2021, the Giants’ first game at Oracle Park featured an 8.2-inning gem from Johnny Cueto. San Francisco went on to win a franchise-record 107 games that year, but Cueto missed the postseason roster.
Opening games are arbitrary. They matter just as much as Game 59 in June. And plenty will change afterwards.
The catcher position is poised to revolve and evolve throughout the season — especially after starter Roberto Pérez exited early with a right shoulder strain. Blake Sabol’s Rule 5 designation makes his status on the roster potentially delicate. Injuries have already cropped up and more will come. Prospects like Casey Schmitt, Kyle Harrison and Patrick Bailey could join the mix.
The Giants in September might not resemble the April 7 Giants.
But there is an intrinsic aspect to a home opener.
“Home opener is a big deal,” manager Gabe Kapler said pregame. “It’s our first opportunity to make an impression with our fans.”
That first impression may be more pivotal than any in recent memory for the Giants. This offseason, they struck out on landing a superstar in free agency despite two full-fledged runs — one at Aaron Judge and another at Carlos Correa — that proved calamitous. During Friday morning’s live Murph & Mac Show at Public House, fans chanted “Oh-Tan-I!” as CEO Larry Baer joined the stage, expressing frustration over a team without a billboard superstar.
Then the deep-yet-starless Giants’ first impression was a let down. Against the 1-6 Royals, San Francisco (3-4) tallied five hits — four of which were singles — in a 3-1 loss. A ninth inning rally led by Joc Pederson brought fans to their feet, but didn’t produce a comeback.
Before the home opener, the Giants displayed unpredictability, if not excitement. Their 15 home runs in the first six games led MLB and broke the franchise record. But they also got shut out twice and racked up 41 strikeouts in their first three games.
The home opener festivities this year began with orange carpet introductions, aquatic jet packers in McCovey Cove, a ceremonial first pitch from Mike Murphy and Sergio Romo riling up the crowd.
Cobb, whose FIP was nearly a full point lower than his ERA last year, took the mound and was again stung by unluckiness and poor defense. He allowed seven hits, but three of their exit velocities registered at 87.1, 74.4, and 86.6 mph. LaMonte Wade Jr. committed an error and David Villar didn’t convert an out on a tough play to deep third, increasing Cobb’s pitch count.
The defense wasn’t all bad, as Sabol made a sliding catch in left and Mike Yastrzemski cut down a runner tagging up from center. But for a team that tried to address their defensive deficiencies this winter, issues popping up early is a concerning sign.
The Royals manufactured a run with small ball in the second inning, but Sabol evened the score in the bottom half with an RBI single up the middle. Then Kansas City designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino took Cobb deep to put the Royals up 2-1.
Cobb was working with Pérez, the two-time Gold Glove veteran who left in the sixth inning with an injury. Even with a mid-game catcher change, Cobb tore through seven innings with six strikeouts and just two runs.
A spirited “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” cry from P-Lo and Iamsu serenaded Cobb on his way out of the game for the seventh inning stretch.
But the Giants went hitless from the third through the seventh inning. Their boom-or-bust early season identity tilted toward the latter — even as they avoided striking out at their previously alarming rates.
Their anemic offense made the home run Taylor Rogers allowed in the eighth insignificant. Even with a Pederson triple to lead off the ninth inning, Yastrzemski struck out — on a curveball pitch off the plate. Thairo Estrada lined out. Brandon Crawford walked to bring Sabol, the winning run, to the plate.
But as “Let’s Go Giants” chants percolated, he fanned looking.
“Thought our offense clicked, obviously, some days and some days it didn’t,” Kapler said pregame when asked to evaluate the Giants’ 3-3 road trip. “We have to continue to play really good, fundamental baseball. I think our offense is going to hit home runs. We’re going to see pitches, grind down opposing pitchers. I think our starting pitching is going to be fine, give us a chance to win a lot of baseball games. But we have to be strong fundamentally, play strong defense. If we do those things consistently, we’re going to be a good baseball team.”
The Giants could still be a good team. First impressions aren’t everything. But theirs on Friday featured just two runners in scoring position, a potentially brutal injury to their starting catcher and unfixed fielding, leading to a performance on the field that let down the home opener pomp.
