SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants now have one game left before Thursday’s MLB trade deadline, and by definition, they’re as average as it gets. 

Recently, however, they’ve been much worse than average. Far, far worse. Uninspired at best. 

A combination of frustrating mental mistakes and the offense taking a night off ended in a 3-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night at Oracle Park. The loss was the Giants’ fifth straight and 11th in their last 13 games, dropping them to .500 on the 2025 MLB season with a 54-54 record. 

Tuesday night’s loss featured yet another mental mistake from Heliot Ramos on the bases, and a play in the eighth inning where second baseman Casey Schmitt fielded a grounder and nailed the batter running down the line nearly square in the face after Tyler Rogers wasn’t paying attention on first base. It again was one of those nights for the Giants. 

Justin Verlander did all he could to secure a second win in a Giants jersey but left with a no-decision instead. Verlander allowed one earned run in five innings when he gave up a solo shot with one out in the fifth inning. He gave up six hits, three in the fifth inning, and tallied seven strikeouts. 

But the Giants put together only two hits at the plate. Former Giants top prospect Joey Bart gave the Pirates the lead with a single through the infield and into left field, one batter after Schmitt’s odd throw in the eighth inning.

Here are three takeaways from the Giants’ second straight loss to the Pirates in this three-game series.

Verlander Does His Part

One swing shouldn’t define what otherwise was a stellar outing from Verlander. 

Toeing the rubber 24 hours after Carson Whisenhunt, 24, made his MLB debut, the 42-year-old Verlander looked like an ace against the Pirates, especially in the first four innings. Verlander entered the fifth inning having only allowed three hits with five strikeouts through four scoreless innings. He then struck out Bart to begin the fifth, but was undone by the No. 9 hitter when Liover Peguero turned on a fastball and launched it over the left-field wall. 

The damage was done. It didn’t balloon out of control, though. Verlander’s final batter of the night ended in a swinging strikeout to finish his night at 94 pitches over five innings. His seven strikeouts were tied for his second-most this season, and Verlander’s fastball hovered around 95 and 96 miles per hour all night. 

Right when the ball left Verlander’s hand, he knew he made a mistake to Peguero. It was one of just a few mistakes Verlander made all night. He now has given up only two earned runs his last two starts in 10 innings. 

Another Baserunning Blunder 

Somehow, Ramos continues to find new lows on the base paths. Coaches, teammates and fans alike didn’t have to wait long to see his latest gaffe Tuesday night. 

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, Ramos was at second base when Matt Chapman hit a sky-high pop up that landed at the feet of third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes. The play was ruled an infield fly, but Ramos must have forgotten the rules. Even Hayes looked shocked when he saw Ramos hanging out way too far off the bag, confused by what to do next. 

Hayes then fired an easy throw to second baseman Nick Gonzales, who tagged out a befuddled Ramos to end the inning. 

This comes just two days after Ramos was tagged out at third base on a ground ball hit to New York Mets third baseman Ronny Mauricio to end an inning. 

Ramos walked his first two at-bats and finished 0-for-2. What he’s providing offensively is not making up for his many mistakes on the bases and in the outfield.

Summer Of Willy 

The biggest positive the Giants have going for them right now is the turnaround of shortstop Willy Adames. If it were up to him, July would never end. 

Adames came into July hitting .210 with a .636 OPS. After going 1-for-3 with a solo homer, Adames now is batting .341 with seven home runs and 21 RBI in 23 games this month. His deep fly was one of the Giants’ only two hits and provided their only run scored. 

He now finds himself in historic company when it comes to Giants history at shortstop. Adames is one of five Giants shortstops to have 20 or more RBI in one calendar month, and has one more game to go. Nobody else is following his lead right now.

The boo birds came out from Giants fans at Oracle Park. They certainly weren’t for Adames.

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