The San Francisco Giants are stuck in the middle. From their 50-52 record to their half-hearted deadline, the SF Giants are in purgatory. They are neither awful nor great. They neither bought nor sold. This is the Giants' fourth year under Farhan Zaidi, and they have yet to make an aggressive move one way or the other. Sure, they've brought in some power arms who have turned out to be great, like Kevin Gausman and Carlos Rodón, but on the whole, the Giants haven't come close to putting together an exciting roster. They deserved the benefit of the doubt after winning 107 games last year, but trust in the front office has eroded after a disappointing 2022 season.

The Giants' deadline moves are revisited, particularly their acquisition of J.D. Davis and three prospects from the New York Mets for Darin Ruf. Davis fits the Giants' roster better than Ruf turned out to fit, and significantly Davis appears to be an immediate and longer-term option at third base. David Villar hasn't been particularly effective at the plate or on the field for the Giants thus far, and Davis may take that role away from him. Villar can be optioned, but it's debatable whether the Giants should be taking playing time away from a rookie right now given their low playoff odds.

Joey Bart's development is also discussed. The development of young players is a huge part of the rest of the season. Bart had a great game last night, homering and throwing another runner out on the bases. If the Giants aren't going to make the playoffs, watching players like Bart over the final two months will be among the most significant reasons to watch the Giants.

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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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