San Francisco Giants 2022 Season Preview: Projected Lineups, Rotations, and 3 Bold Predictions
After winning the National League West in 2021, the San Francisco Giants have high expectations in 2022. The Giants had one of the top rosters in the MLB last season. Every division rival made significant improvements to their lineups, especially the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. While the Giants' opponents were only getting better, the San Francisco Giants lost key players. They did, however, add firepower to their pitching staff in the form of Carlos Rodón.
The NL West is looking to become one of the league's most competitive divisions. After losing Buster Posey and Kris Bryant in the offseason, their pathway back to a division championship is unclear.
Bob Nightengale wrote on Twitter that 107 regular season wins will not be enough in 2021.
Notebook: 107 wins wasn't enough? San Francisco Giants must prove themselves all over again; celebrating Redsox clubhouse attendant Joe Cochran usatoday.com/story/sports/m…
"Notebook: 107 wins wasn't enough? San Francisco Giants must prove themselves all over again" - @ Bob Nightengale
3 bold predictions for the San Francisco Giants in 2022
#1 - Carlos Rodón will be a Cy Young Award finalist
The former starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox is coming off the best season of his career. With an ERA of 2.37 and a WAR of 5.0 in 2021, Carlos Rodón will be one of the top pitchers in 2022 facing off against the highest levels of competition in the National League West. If Carlos Rodón can perform at the same level against sluggers like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Mookie Betts, he will have the resume he needs to win the Cy Young Award for best pitcher in 2022.
Carlos Rodon is getting off to a great start in Spring Training, as reported by Alex Simon on Twitter.
Carlos Rodón struck out two in his first inning in orange and black, getting former teammates Luis Robert and José Abreu to swing and miss.
His fastball velo on each strikeout? 98 mph.
"Carlos Rodón struck out two in his first inning in orange and black, getting former teammates Luis Robert and José Abreu to swing and miss.His fastball velo on each strikeout? 98 mph." - @ Alex Simon
#2 Brandon Crawford repeats as an All-Star
Brandon Crawford was the best player for the Giants in 2021 with a team-high WAR of 6.1. In 2022 he will step up into a pressure-packed role and deliver again. Without Kris Bryant and Buster Posey, shortstop Brandon Crawford will be counted on to provide offensive firepower to a team that desperately needs it.
#1 The San Francisco Giants will miss the playoffs in 2022
After 107 wins in the 2021 season, the San Francisco Giants will fall from grace and miss the playoffs, coming third in their division with less than 90 wins. The Bay Area team overperformed expectations in 2022. Expect the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the National League West with the San Diego Padres finishing in second place. The Giants lost two of their best players in Kris Bryant and Buster Posey and did not make any significant moves to replace them for 2022.