If you’re staring at the san francisco giants standings and feeling a weird mix of boredom and frustration, you’re definitely not alone. It's January 2026. The Bay Area fog is thick, and the Hot Stove is supposedly "simmering," but for Giants fans, the numbers on the screen tell a story we’ve seen way too many times lately.
81 wins. 81 losses.
Third place in the NL West.
It’s almost impressive how the Giants managed to land exactly on the mediocre mark of .500 in 2025. Honestly, it takes a specific kind of effort to be that balanced. You aren't bad enough to get a top-tier draft pick, but you aren't good enough to touch the Dodgers or the Padres. The gap between San Francisco and the top of the division wasn't just a few games; it was a 12-game chasm that felt even wider when you watched the product on the field.
Breaking Down the San Francisco Giants Standings
When you look at the final 2025 table, the hierarchy was painfully clear. The Dodgers finished at 93-69, coasting to another division title. The Padres, despite their usual chaotic energy, grabbed 90 wins and a Wild Card spot. Then you have the Giants, sitting there at 81-81, looking up at the elite while barely fending off a Diamondbacks team that finished just one game behind them at 80-82.
The Rockies? Well, they lost 119 games. So, at least we aren't Colorado.
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But "better than the Rockies" isn't exactly the slogan you want on a season ticket brochure. The 2025 Giants were a team of "almosts." They almost stayed in the Wild Card race until September. They almost had a consistent rotation. They almost found a way to make the Rafael Devers trade—which cost them Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks—look like a genius move. Instead, they just... existed.
The Devers Gamble and the Standings Slide
Let’s talk about that trade for a second because it’s the biggest reason the san francisco giants standings look the way they do right now. On June 15, 2025, Buster Posey and the front office went all-in. They shipped away the future of their pitching—Kyle Harrison—along with Jordan Hicks and James Tibbs III to get Rafael Devers from Boston.
On paper, it was a dream. A true power hitter at Oracle Park!
In reality, it was a disaster for the pitching staff. The Giants traded away their depth and didn't get enough run support back to compensate. By the time July rolled around, the rotation was Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and a collection of "who's that?" guys. They went on a brutal slide in late July, losing series to the Blue Jays, Braves, and Mets. That’s where the season died. You can point to the final standings and say they were average, but if you lived through that July slump, you know it was worse than that.
A New Era (Again) with Tony Vitello
The most shocking thing that happened since the season ended wasn't a player move. It was the Giants firing Bob Melvin and hiring Tony Vitello.
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Yeah, that Tony Vitello. The guy who turned Tennessee Volunteers baseball into a powerhouse.
It is the first time a Major League team has hired a manager straight out of college without any professional coaching experience. It’s a massive risk. Some people think it’s a stroke of genius by Buster Posey to bring in a high-energy guy who can actually motivate a locker room that felt pretty stagnant last year. Others think it’s a recipe for a clubhouse mutiny.
Basically, the Giants are tired of being 81-81. They’re taking a swing at the fences, even if it means potentially striking out.
The Roster Shuffle: Who's Left?
If you check the current 40-man roster as we head toward Spring Training 2026, there are some glaring holes. Wilmer Flores is a free agent. Justin Verlander, who we brought in for a veteran presence, is gone.
The rotation currently looks something like this:
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- Logan Webb (The only sure thing)
- Robbie Ray (Hoping his arm stays attached)
- Tyler Mahle (Signed to a one-year deal on New Year's Day)
- Landen Roupp 5. Hayden Birdsong That isn't a rotation that beats the Dodgers. It just isn't. The Giants' front office has been active in the "bargain bin" lately, claiming guys like Reiver Sanmartín and trading for Joey Wiemer. It feels like they're trying to find lightning in a bottle because they can't—or won't—outspend the big boys down south.
What Needs to Change for 2026
If the Giants want to move up in the National League West, they have to fix the defense. Last year was ugly. They had guys playing out of position constantly. Casey Schmitt has a great arm and a decent bat (101 OPS+), but he needs a permanent home on the diamond.
And then there's the Willy Adames factor. They signed him to a 7-year, $150 million deal before the 2025 season. He’s supposed to be the anchor. He’s the guy who needs to lead this team out of the .500 wilderness.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're tracking the san francisco giants standings this year, here’s what you should actually be looking at:
- The Vitello Effect: Watch the first 20 games. If the "college energy" doesn't translate to early wins, the media is going to eat this team alive.
- Pitching Depth: The Giants need at least one more mid-rotation starter. Relying on Landen Roupp to be a #3 guy is a lot of pressure for a young arm.
- The Devers Factor: Now that he’s had a full offseason to adjust to San Francisco, Rafael Devers needs to put up MVP-caliber numbers. If he hits .260 with 25 homers, the trade was a failure.
- Oracle Park Power: The Giants finished 19th in home runs last year. In a division with the Dodgers and Padres, you can't just play "small ball" and expect to win 90 games.
The 2026 schedule kicks off at home against the Yankees on March 25. It’s a brutal start. If they come out of that opening stretch flat, they’ll be buried in the standings before the San Francisco summer even starts.
To stay ahead of the curve, you should keep a close eye on the waiver wire moves throughout February. The Giants have shown they aren't afraid to swap 40-man spots for "lottery ticket" players. Whether that’s enough to finally break the .500 curse remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: with Vitello at the helm and Posey calling the shots, the 2026 season won't be boring.
Stay updated on the latest roster moves through official MLB transaction logs and FanGraphs' RosterResource to see how the projected depth chart shifts before Pitchers and Catchers report.