David Villar was the best hitter in his league in 2021 and 2022. He mashed 27 home runs in just 84 games for the Sacramento River Cats this season. Villar's first cameo with the San Francisco Giants, in July, didn't go particularly well. But Villar burst out in a big way during the weekend against the Dodgers.

Villar hit three home runs in the series, including two in the finale and one against Clayton Kershaw. He's an important player to watch for the SF Giants over the last month of the season, as he could be a part of their future. With the Giants all but out of playoff contention, the rest of this season should be about auditioning future pieces, and Villar is first on that list. Lewis Brinson is another guy to watch, and he too had a huge series in Los Angeles.

Several bullpen arms for the Giants are also new and worth watching over the final four weeks. Luis Ortiz was added to the Giants' roster on Wednesday. Shelby Miller is in Milwaukee and may be added. Alex Young and Scott Alexander have been in the 'pen for a while now and could be future pieces. The Giants' season is now about watching how all of these new players perform, as they are auditioning for roles on next year's SF Giants team.

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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.

Follow Ben Kaspick on Twitter, where he’ll be sharing the latest news about the San Francisco Giants and talking with fans.

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/BenKaspick

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