At the beginning of the year, no one gave much thought to players like Jakob Junis, Jason Vosler, or Luis González. Donovan Walton was in another organization. But those players have established themselves as legitimate contributors on an SF Giants team that is now 29-24 despite not playing all that well all season long.

Yes, the Giants have been merely mediocre for the past month-plus. But they've been a resilient bunch, and new players have been a big reason why. Walton hit a huge grand slam in the win on Sunday. He had a bases-clearing double on Saturday. Junis pitched a gem on getaway day. Vosler hit two big homers in the series and played exceptional defense. González was the NL's Rookie of the Month in May.

The Giants have not been healthy all season. Brandon Belt and LaMonte Wade Jr. continue to be out with knee injuries. Anthony DeSclafani has barely pitched all year. But because of those new contributors, and strong seasons out of the likes of veterans Mike Yastrzemski and Joc Pederson, the San Francisco Giants have hung around above .500 and are still in good position to go on a run. They currently hold a two-game lead over a playoff spot. They haven't yet hit their stride but there is reason for optimism that it will happen eventually.

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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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