Let’s get the details for the final series of 2026 out of the way,
• Friday, 7:15, TBD vs. Yunior Marte (0-1, 4.66), Willie Mac Award
• Saturday, 1:05, TBD vs. Matt Wilkinson (1-3, 3.65)
• Sunday, 12:05, TBD vs. TBD, Mike Krukow retirement ceremony
You know who will be active. Enough of that balderdash, onto the two important events this weekend.
It seems inevitable that the Willie Mac award will go to somebody who is injured! This is a most peculiar year. Honestly, the guy who put in the most work to recover his fielding skills, and hit like always, and was a great teammate was traded away on August 3rd. Luis Arraez was a terrific Giant, but it seems too strange to give him the award. Casey Schmitt proved all the doubters of him wrong, getting playing time at 1B, 2B, SS, 3B, and even LF. His 21 homers are second only to Rafi Devers (Willy Adames also had 21), even though he blew his knee out on August 29th. He is a good teammate, as well as a magic glove, and broke through with the bat. But I don’t know that anyone out for the entire final month can win. Rafael Devers led the team with 36 doubles, 37 homers, 98 RBI, 88 runs scored, and his 144 hits trail only Jung Hoo Lee’s 149. Lee himself is deserving of being mentioned for the WMA, demonstrating a good glove in the difficult right field at Willie Mays Field, and for a few days even having a higher BA than Arraez. He’s also a terrific fellow, and a fan favorite, but slumped badly in September. Bryce Eldridge may get some votes, he had a great nearly-full season, including 17 homers and forced himself into the everyday line up, but is maybe too young? That brings me to the person whom I believe will win, Logan Webb. He’s a guiding presence for the other pitchers, and always a visible presence cheering the hitters from the dugout. Once again, the team leader in innings thrown with 160⅔, and admired and respected by the current team, and all the others he’s played for. Webb is the longest tenured Giant, by far, being promoted on August 17th, 2019. He has been the Opening Day starter for the Giants for the last five seasons, and my view is Logan will be the one to hoist the WMA plaque for the cameras tonight, prior to the game.
The other big event this weekend is a ceremony at the end of Sunday’s game, to honor the retiring Mike Krukow. Expect tears and laughter in equal proportion.
