Top 5 MLB teams that could make a surprise run in second half
San Francisco Giants
At 49-41, the Giants would actually be in the playoffs if the season ended today as the final NL wild card team. Early in the year, it didn’t seem like that would be the case for the National League’s No. 1 team just two years ago, as San Francisco got off to a 17-23 start in its first 40 games. From there, the Giants went on a 27-10 stretch that included a 10-game winning streak. Although they cooled off a bit going into the All-Star break, San Francisco still looks like it could be a player in the postseason race this fall.
Just an average hitting team by most metrics, the Giants have dealt with injuries to some of the more notable names in their lineup including Joc Pederson, Thairo Estrada, and most recently, Brandon Crawford. As long as Crawford’s injury isn’t serious, and the rest of the lineup can stay healthy, San Francisco could be a threat come October thanks to its pitching staff headlined by Logan Webb and Alex Cobb, as well as All-Star closer Camilo Doval. Like the Padres, the Giants will also have plenty of division games within the NL West down the stretch to help them earn a postseason spot.
