25 questions as Giants open 2nd half of season

SAN FRANCISCO - Heading into the month of June, the last-place San Francisco Giants appeared destined to sell off their veteran assets prior to the trade deadline and offer more opportunities to unproven or inexperienced players during the second half.

That still might happen, but a 19-14 stretch and a 7-2 run heading into the All-Star break has temporarily forced president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to reconsider.

How can you break up a team playing its best ball of the season? Zaidi will either wait until the Giants regress or watch as they surge up the standings.

What questions must the Giants answer during the second half of the season? We assigned one to each of the 25 active players on the roster, plus pitcher Tyler Beede, who will start Sunday's game in Milwaukee.

1. Where will Madison Bumgarner spend the last two months?

The story of the second half starts and ends with Madison Bumgarner, whose tenure with the Giants could be coming to an end. With three weeks to go before the trade deadline, it's still unclear whether the Giants will receive an offer that makes them seriously consider parting with one of the franchise's legends.

2. Is this the new Buster Posey?

After undergoing season-ending hip surgery in August, 2018, Posey was expected to hit for more power in 2019. Instead, his power numbers are insignificant and his average and on-base percentage are drastically lower than they were a season ago. Posey may not have been completely healthy to start the year, but he'll need to have a much better second half to give Giants fans hope regarding his future.

3. Will Brandon Crawford be an everyday player beyond this season?

Crawford has two seasons left on his contract after this year, but without a strong second half, it's possible Zaidi will look to find a platoon partner for one of the most beloved Giants players this offseason. Crawford's 68 weighted runs created plus (wrC+) is tied with teammate Joe Panik for the third-worst mark among qualifiers and his .635 OPS is more than 60 points below his career average. He's shown signs of improvement of late, but a hamstring injury kept him off the field for much of the final week before the break.

4. Will the Brandon Belt wars stay this heated?

There's a famous divide among Giants fans when it comes to first baseman Brandon Belt, a Gold Glove-caliber defender and an analytics darling. Some fans see Belt's high strikeout total and low average and wonder why he's not producing more. Others look at his team-best on-base percentage and OPS and believe he's the most valuable hitter in the Giants lineup. In 2019, his average is bordering on a career low, but his on-base percentage is one of the highest marks he's ever posted.

5. Did Evan Longoria find a permanent solution for his swing?

The Giants haven't had many Player of the Week candidates, but Longoria thrust himself into that conversation with five home runs in the six games leading up to the break. He's right around league average in a few key offensive categories and if he can continue swinging like he did last week, the Giants may not need to be as concerned about their long-term future at the hot corner.

6. How much longer will Pablo Sandoval be a Giant?

It might seem cruel for the Giants to trade Sandoval, one of manager Bruce Bochy's favorite players, ahead of the deadline and it's unlikely they'll do so unless the return is significant. However, it's increasingly clear Sandoval could be a valuable backup corner infielder in 2020 and he'll come at a low cost. Is Zaidi open to keeping Sandoval beyond Bochy's final year?

7. Is this the end for Joe Panik with the franchise?

Panik is arbitration-eligible this offseason, but it's unlikely the Giants would be willing to pay him more than the $3.8 million he's earning this year. Panik controls the strike zone well and puts the ball in play, but he hasn't hit for average in three of his past four seasons and doesn't provide Zaidi with any kind of defensive versatility.

8. How will the Giants bullpen hold up without Will Smith?

The Giants can justify hanging onto Bumgarner at this year's deadline, but there's almost no argument for keeping Smith unless the team is in the thick of a playoff race come July 31. The Giants wouldn't have much of a case to hang onto any valuable assets if not for Smith, who is a perfect 23-for-23 in save situations and has closed out 15-one run ballgames. Can anyone replace his value?

9. Is Jeff Samardzija turning a corner?

With just two earned runs allowed in his final 15 innings before the All-Star break, Samardzija is throwing as well as he has since his first season with the Giants in 2016. His velocity may never come back, but Samardzija is proving his 2018 shoulder injury is completely behind him. If he rounds out the season in strong form, Samardzija may have some trade value this winter.

10. Will Kevin Pillar break the Giants' 20-home run season drought?

Since being traded to San Francisco in early April, Pillar has been the Giants' top run producer and one of the team's best sources of power. He's assumed the everyday role in center field and if he sticks with the club beyond the trade deadline, Pillar may have the best chance of becoming the first Giants player to hit 20 home runs since Brandon Crawford did so in 2015. With 12 heading into the break and the ability to turn on pitches at Oracle Park, Pillar has been a joy for Giants fans to watch.

11. Is Shaun Anderson‘s breakthrough real?

Last summer, there was uncertainty in the Giants' front office as to whether Anderson was better off as a starter or long reliever. Since earning a spot in the rotation in May, Anderson has given the Giants every reason to continue evaluating him in a starting role. He doesn't have swing-and-miss stuff, but will that matter over the long haul?

12. Can Tyler Beede find consistency as a starter?

Walks and command issues have haunted Beede throughout his professional career, but he's given the Giants hope that he could be a key member of future rotations with some impressive first half performances. If Beede can harness his control, the sky is the limit. That question has followed him throughout his career and will follow him through the second half.

13. Will Reyes Moronta earn the chance to close games?

If Smith is headed out the door, the Giants have a number of players worthy of consideration for the closer job. No one has more potential than Moronta, who blends a 98-mile per hour fastball with a devastating breaking ball. He doesn't have elite command and struggles with walks, but the ninth inning has been tortuous in the past for Giants closers and some of them have fared well anyway.

14. Is Sam Dyson's trade value equal to, or superior to Smith's?

One of the sport's elite groundball wizards, Dyson has been sensational since June 1 and could clearly slot into the seventh or eighth inning role for a variety of playoff-bound teams. His 1.20 ERA in his last 14 outings reveals the right-hander is pitching as well as he ever has and he's doing so at the perfect time for the Giants. Because Dyson has one year of team control remaining beyond 2019, is it possible his trade value is superior to Smith's?

15. Is Alex Dickerson Zaidi's best bargain addition?

It's been less than a full month since Dickerson joined the Giants outfield, but it's hard to recall a player injecting the clubhouse and lineup with similar energy in the past three seasons. Even at 29, Dickerson still has the potential to become a productive big league player. He'll have the chance to continue showing off his massive power during the second half, but whether he can stay healthy enough to contribute is a concern for the Giants.

16. Are Tony Watson‘s recent numbers cause for concern moving forward?

It's hard to find a left-handed reliever who can match Watson's consistency over the past seven seasons, but his recent outings suggest that trouble could be on the horizon. Watson owns a 5.25 ERA in his last 12 outings and has already allowed more home runs (6) this year than he did a season ago (4). Watson's hits allowed per nine innings are up while his strikeouts per nine innings are down, creating mild concerns over his trade value and his effectiveness beyond 2019.

17. Will the Giants try to maximize Austin Slater‘s versatility?

The Giants moved Slater all over the diamond at Triple-A Sacramento, but since his promotion to the big leagues, Slater has played exclusively in corner outfield spots. The club could use his bat in the lineup on a daily basis, but is Bochy comfortable sending him to second base or even third base in a double switch situation?

18. What innings will Mark Melancon pitch if the Giants are out of the race?

If the Giants throw in the towel after the trade deadline, it will be fascinating to see which pitchers are used in which situations. Melancon will have one year left on his contract after this season and theoretically could see a boost in his trade value if he succeeds in high-leverage situations down the stretch, but if the Giants are building for the future, there are plenty of other younger arms who will deserve a chance to pitch when the team is holding a lead.

19. Can Tyler Austin hit for average and cut down on his strikeouts?

In his first two months with the Giants, Austin initially looked like a sneaky good pickup for Zaidi as he showcased impressive power, particularly against left-handed pitchers. Since June 1, Austin has regressed as his batting average is stuck below .200 while his strikeout rate is now above 40 percent. If he doesn't show more consistency at the plate during the second half, it's possible the Giants will move on in search of a more well-rounded bat.

20. Will Drew Pomeranz stick with the Giants beyond July 31?

Even if Pomeranz doesn't possess any trade value, it's difficult to foresee a scenario where he remains with the club beyond the July 31 deadline. San Francisco has other starters like Dereck Rodríguez and Andrew Suárez worth evaluating and Pomeranz has routinely drained the bullpen of valuable innings. He still has a high strikeout rate, but the Giants have a number of pitchers in the minors like starter Conner Menez and reliever Sam Selman who would probably fare better if given opportunities.

21. Should the Giants let Derek Holland start games again?

It's almost impossible to envision a scenario in which the Giants pick up Holland's club option for 2020, but the veteran left-hander has performed better of late and may still be best-equipped to pitch as a starter instead of out of the bullpen. If the Giants want to limit the innings of a pitcher like Beede or Anderson in the final month of the year, Holland can be stretched out again.

22. Is Ray Black a future “Opener” candidate?

The Giants tested out the hard-throwing right-hander as an “Opener” at Triple-A before he came back to the majors and he is clearly open-minded about the opportunity. Because he's had a long injury history and needs his workload managed, using Black as an “Opener” on a semi-regular basis could be his best role come 2020 when the Giants will likely experiment with the strategy more often. It's unlikely we'll see Black used as an “Opener” during the second half, but he's a player worth watching if the Giants do seriously consider a shakeup.

23. Will Stephen Vogt be worth re-signing?

Vogt is already beloved in the Giants clubhouse and has provided excellent value as a backup to Posey, but the Giants' catching situation could look quite different come 2020. Aramis Garcia will have another full year under his belt at Triple-A while Joey Bart could be ready for his first call-up by the middle of the summer. It's never a bad idea to have too many catchers, so re-signing Vogt could become a strong consideration.

24. Can Trevor Gott lead the pitching staff in wins?

With a victory on Sunday, Samardzija broke a tie with Gott and Bumgarner to move into sole possession for the team lead in pitching wins. Pitcher decisions are an overrated stat and not always indicative of a pitcher's performance, but Gott is 5-0 this season and has a realistic chance to lead the Giants in wins. It wouldn't be the greatest sign for the Giants if a middle reliever led them in this stat, but it would be a tremendous answer to a trivia question down the line.

25. Will Donovan Solano turn in a rather unlikely “career year?”

This may not be the most interesting story to follow, but after a two-plus year break from major league action, Solano found his way back to the big leagues with the Giants and has provided valuable depth behind Crawford and Panik. There's an argument to be made that Solano deserves to play one of the middle infield spots every time the Giants face a left-handed pitcher and if he continues to swing the bat well, he could post career highs in several different offensive categories.

26. Can Mike Yastrzemski stay in the big leagues for the rest of the season?

Chris Shaw is pushing for playing time, Steven Duggar will likely merit another look and Mike Gerber is a younger player with a similar skill set, but Yastrzemski has played well enough in his rookie season to fend off talk of a potential demotion. The Giants plan to evaluate a handful of others in the outfield this summer, but if Yastrzemski can continue to provide solid defense and the occasional home run, he may stick around longer than anyone expected.