There are just 12 games remaining in the 2026 Major League Baseball season for the San Francisco Giants, and that is for the best given the type of year they have had.

The Giants came into the season with high expectations. The talent on the roster was in place, and President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey was putting his faith in first-year manager Tony Vitello, who had earned elite status at the college level but had never held an MLB position before.

Instead, San Francisco got off to a rough start and never recovered. Things began to snowball out of control, and it led to Posey trading away several pieces ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline in early August.

Players such as Luis Arraez, Heliot Ramos and Robbie Ray were all sent to new destinations, but other notable players remained, such as Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Logan Webb. That raises the question: How can the talent of the Giants truly be evaluated?

Recently, ESPN MLB Insider Kiley McDaniel released his annual team rankings based on the star power they possess within their core. 

McDaniel judged each team based on the type of talent they have under contract for at least two more full seasons. Additionally, he broke down each team's roster into three categories: elite, plus and solid.

For the Giants, the drop from last season to this one was precipitous. 

After ranking 15th in 2025, San Francisco tumbled all the way to 28th. In McDaniel’s view, the type of star power Devers, Adames, Webb and Matt Chapman was not unlocked in time. 

Therefore, the Giants are in what he describes as a "turning of the page" moment. It is also important to remember that catcher Patrick Bailey, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, was traded to the Cleveland Guardians in May.

San Francisco still has talent in the building, but none of its players are considered elite in McDaniel’s estimation. Devers and Webb occupy the plus category, while Adames, Chapman and others are only considered solid.

The good news is that the Giants have several young and talented players in the building. Bryce Eldridge may continue to elevate his game, and others such as third baseman Josuar Gonzalez, shortstop Jackson Flora and right-hander Ramon Marquez are considered to have star potential by McDaniel.

But right now, the Giants have to endure the storm they find themselves in. To add insult to injury, Devers’ season ended when he was placed on the 60-day Injured List for a core muscle injury.

San Francisco has 12 games remaining, and with 88 losses on the record, it just needs to win one more to avoid its first 100-loss season since 1985 and only the second in franchise history. That is not anything to be proud of, but it would keep a brutal year from getting even worse.