The San Francisco Giants are getting ready to take on the Atlanta Braves today, with the game replacing one that was postponed back in June between the two teams.
Since June, the two sides have gone in very different directions, with the Giants falling down the standings. Atlanta, on the other hand, has been on a tear of late, looking like a true threat in the National League playoff race.
The Braves come into this game with a record of 82-55, sitting in first place within the NL East. Atlanta owns a five-game lead in the division, and they have gone 8-2 over the last 10 contests overall.
As for the Giants, they come in with a record of 56-81 this year. It’s been tough sledding for San Francisco all season, and the team has completely underperformed.
The Giants are coming off a four-game split with the Arizona Diamondbacks, so they are riding some momentum into the game with Atlanta. But at this point, San Francisco is looking to play spoiler for any teams in playoff position on their remaining schedule.
Rafael Devers Decision Announced vs Braves
But ahead of the game, the Giants released the lineup against the Braves, with star Rafael Devers hitting second for San Francisco and taking on the designated hitter role.
Giants 8/31
D. Gilbert LF
R. Devers DH
B. Eldridge 1B
J. Cox CF
J. Lee RF
O. Basabe 3B
A. Knizner C
N. Furman 2B
C. Koss SSA. Molina SP
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) August 31, 2026
Devers has put together a nice year for the Giants, even if the team hasn’t played up to par. So far, the slugger has hit .251 with 29 home runs and 78 RBIs, while posting a .813 OPS.
The Giants have been happy with Devers’ performance since they landed him in a massive trade a year ago, but there were some trade rumors around him this deadline. But overall, Devers seems to be part of the future in San Francisco, barring any major changes.
Can the Giants Finish 2026 Strong?
With the Giants out of the playoff race, the only thing left for this team to do is try to salvage the year. San Francisco does have some talented players on the roster, and the upcoming offseason will tell a lot.
It has been reported that the Giants will bring back manager Tony Vitelloe for next season. Vitello is in his first year as the manager for San Francisco, and there were rumors that he could be let go.
But MLB insider Buster Olney has reported that he would be surprised if that were to take place.
“Obviously, he’s his own man,” Posey said, via the SF Chronicle. “I haven’t felt once in any conversation that we’ve had that there’s any thoughts about jumping ship. All of our conversations are future-oriented, like, ‘What do we have to do to get this right?’ So if he wasn’t (returning), it would come as a surprise to me.”
All the Giants can do is put their best foot forward the rest of the way, and hope for better results. Then this offseason, the front office can try to transform the roster into a consistent contender.