San Francisco Giants Season Preview: Three questions for the 2021 NL West leaders

The San Francisco Giants shocked the world in 2021. As a team that ranked 14th in payroll entering Opening Day last year, the Giants were expected to finish in third place in the National League West. The San Diego Padres had made massive upgrades, trading for former Cy Young Award winners Yu Darvish from the Chicago Cubs and Blake Snell from the Tampa Bay Rays to go along with budding superstar Fernando Tatis Jr. The Los Angeles Dodgers were coming off of a shortened season in which they won the World Series. They had just signed Trevor Bauer, the best free agent pitcher on the market. However, the Giants shocked everyone as the team won 107 games to take the division outright and force the Dodgers and Padres into a one-game playoff. Here are three key questions for the National League West Champions.

World Series - San Francisco Giants v Kansas City Royals - Game Seven

Question 1: Can the San Francisco Giants depend on their pitching to carry them again?

Gausman signed with the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason

The Giants sported one of the most dominant pitching staffs last season, going toe-to-toe with the star-studded Los Angeles Dodgers. Kevin Gausman led the way, justifying his decision to sign a qualifying offer going into the season as he dominated the league with a 2.81 earned run average and 227 strikeouts in 192 innings. Gausman, however, left via free agency for the Toronto Blue Jays. He leaves behind Logan Webb, who seems ready to handle the duties of ace as he pitched a 3.03 ERA last year. The Giants did their best to replace Gausman though, bringing in former White Sox pitcher Carlos Rodon and former Tigers pitcher Matthew Boyd. Rodon is projected by Fangraphs to pitch to a level of three wins above replacement, while Boyd is something of a wild card with untapped potential that the Giants hope to unlock.

"Here we go! #GoGiants! @SFGiants" - @ Matthew Boyd

Question 2: Do the San Francisco Giants have enough offense to compete with the Dodgers and Padres?

Enter captionEnter captionHouston Astros v San Francisco Giants

The Giants received a major jolt of offense when they traded for Kris Bryant from the Chicago Cubs at the trade deadline in 2021. Bryant's versitility helped the team navigate through various injuries on the club, while also providing the pop they needed to stay ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Bryant moved on to the National League West foe in Denver as he signed a long-term contract with the Colorado Rockies. While the team made serious additions to the pitching staff, they cannot say the same for the offense. Outfielder Michael Conforto is still available. However, do the San Francisco Giants have enough firepower to compete for a season, or will they make another key move via trade?

Question 3: Who will replace Buster Posey as the clubhouse leader?

San Francisco Giants v Texas Rangers, Game 5

The Giants have had many icons in their storied franchise history. From Willie Mays to Willie McCovey to Barry Bonds, no shortage of legends have passed through the organization with a powerful offensive presence. Buster Posey, however, has more World Series rings than the three of them combined, and he did it all with a smile behind his catcher's mask. While Posey's retirement creates a massive hole in the San Francisco lineup, he was the leader of Giants baseball for the last decade. The team will miss Buster dearly. Who will step up in his absence? Will it be Brandon Crawford, Mike Yazstremski, or Brandon Belt? Regardless, the next leader of the San Francisco Giants will have big shoes to fill.

"May 7: Buster Posey Day - The #SFGiants will honor a franchise legend. #ThankYouBuster | http://sfgiants.com/thrill" - @ SFGiants