SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants’ Drew Smyly (18) heads to the dugout after the final out of the top of the fourth inning during their game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Giants spent the final week of the regular season missing opportunities, blowing late leads and crushing their once-promising playoff hopes.
On the last day of the 60-game schedule, the 2020 Giants wasted one last chance.
Needing a win over the Padres and a loss by the Milwaukee Brewers to secure the second National League wild-card berth, the Giants made scoreboard watching a useless endeavor by losing 5-4 to San Diego.
“We kind of controlled our own destiny this past week and we just needed to win another game or two the last couple of series to get in,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “We played great the last six or eight weeks. So yeah, to not take the opportunity to win these last couple of games and get into the playoffs, it hurts.”
The St. Louis Cardinals officially dealt the Brewers their 31st loss of the season while the Giants were batting in the bottom of the eighth inning, but Wilmer Flores’ solo home run in that frame wasn’t enough for manager Gabe Kapler’s team to pull even with San Diego.
The Giants entered the ninth inning with a chance to walk-off the Padres and waltz their way into the postseason, but San Diego closer Trevor Rosenthal retired Crawford, Joey Bart and Austin Slater in order to end the Giants’ season.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Austin Slater (13) reacts after a called strike-out to end the game in a 5-4 loss to the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford (35) makes a catch for an out on a hit by San Diego Padres' Manny Machado (13) in the fourth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Logan Webb (62), center, reacts at the end of their 5-4 loss to the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Drew Smyly (18) throws against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Diego Padres' Wil Myers (4) celebrates his solo home run with San Diego Padres' Mitch Moreland (18) against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Adrián Morejón (50) throws against the San Francisco Giants in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Former San Francisco Giants' Hunter Pence (8) throws a ball he just autographed to a fan in a kayak in McCovey Cove during the Giants game against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Tyler Rogers (71) throws against the San Diego Padres in the fifth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Mauricio Dubon (1) reacts to a called strike-out against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Mauricio Dubon (1) rounds first base after hitting a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler reacts to home plate umpire Rob Drake after Drake called San Francisco Giants' Austin Slater (13) out on strike three against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Mauricio Dubon (1) hits a solo home run against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Drew Smyly (18) heads to the dugout after the final out of the top of the fourth inning during their game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Mauricio Dubon (1) celebrates his solo home run with San Francisco Giants third base coach Ron Wotus (23) against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Drew Smyly (18) throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Steven Dugger (6) makes a catch for an out on a hit by San Diego Padres' Jake Cronenworth (9) in the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Drew Smyly (18) throws against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: A women reaches for a ball thrown in to McCovey Cove by San Francisco Giants employees during the Giants game against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Evan Longoria (10) reacts to being called out on strike three against the San Diego Padres in the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Drew Smyly (18) throws against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford (35) hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: The San Francisco Giants play their final home game against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Kevin Gausman (34) throws against th San Diego Padres in the ninth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal throws baseballs into McCovey Cove during the Giants game against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Drew Smyly (18) throws against the San Diego Padres in the third inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: The San Francisco Giants dugout, including Mauricio Dubon (1), left, yell at home plate umpire Rob Drake after Drake called San Francisco Giants' Austin Slater (13) out on strike three against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Evan Longoria (10) was called out on a strike on this pitch during their game against the San Diego Padres in the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Brandon Crawford (35) celebrates his two-run home run on the way to home plate against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal throws baseballs into McCovey Cove during the Giants game against the San Diego Padres in the second inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Home plate umpire Rob Drake hands a ball to San Diego Padres catcher Jason Castro (11) during their game against the San Francisco Giants in the eighth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: Baseball fans race to grab a ball thrown into McCovey Cove by employees of the San Francisco Giants during the Giants game against the San Diego Padres in the seventh inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 27: San Francisco Giants' Alex Dickerson (12) is hit with a pitch against the San Diego Padres in the sixth inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Area News Group)
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The Giants’ fourth loss in their final five games dropped the team to 29-31 as they wrapped up their fourth consecutive losing season with another disappointing all-around performance. After losing late leads against the Rockies on Thursday in a 5-4, 11-inning defeat and again on Friday in Game 2 of a doubleheader defeat against the Padres, the Giants fell behind early on Sunday and dug themselves a bigger hole in a three-run seventh inning for San Diego.
Kapler was visibly upset with his team’s performance in a 6-2 loss on Saturday during a postgame video conference, calling it “frustrating” the Giants were unable to take advantage of all the chances they had to gain separation from other clubs in the NL wild-card standings.
The frustration may have been mild compared to how Kapler and his team felt while watching Sunday’s game slip away.
To make matters more upsetting for the Giants, the Padres didn’t start center fielder Trent Grisham, who hit a three-run walk-off homer to beat San Francisco on Friday, and substituted for MVP candidates Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis, Jr. before either could make an impact.
After catcher Jason Castro took a foul tip off his mask in the bottom of the sixth, the Padres were left with no choice but to bring designated hitter Austin Nola into the game behind the plate and send relief pitchers up to bat in Castro’s spot in the lineup.
The Giants twice brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the late innings on Sunday, but Flores and Brandon Belt failed to deliver a hit with a pair of runners on base in the sixth inning while pinch-hitter Donovan Solano struck out to end a threat in the seventh.
A two-run home run hit by Crawford in the bottom of the seventh could have had a huge impact on the outcome, but the Giants had given up three unearned runs in the top of the inning after third baseman Evan Longoria made a rare fielding error when he couldn’t corral a grounder hit by Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar.
“I think we’ve been replaying (moments) in our minds as the season goes and there will always be moments that come up in the following weeks where you go, ‘This could have happened’ or ‘If I could have done this’ or ‘If we would have been able to win this game or come through in a certain situation,’ then things could have been different,” Longoria said.
Left-hander Drew Smyly turned in a strong, competitive start in his final outing of the season as he tossed five innings of two-run ball against a San Diego lineup that struck out 10 times against him on Sunday. Smyly’s fastball-curveball combination was mostly effective, but he grooved a curveball to Padres slugger Wil Myers that ended up in the left center field bleachers in the second inning and then left a fastball up to first baseman Mitch Moreland, who drilled a RBI double high off the left field wall with two outs in the fourth.
The Giants had an immediate answer for Myers’ home run in the second when center fielder Mauricio Dubón hit a game-tying solo shot off the right field foul pole in the bottom of the second, but they struggled to rally until the late innings against a slew of Padres relievers.
The Giants’ chances weren’t helped by home plate umpire Rob Drake, who botched several strike three calls behind the plate including two during the seventh inning when he took at-bats away from Dubón and Slater. The 2020 season ended when Drake called Slater out on strikes on a Rosenthal fastball that cruised in below the zone.
Drake’s afternoon turned into a live advertisement for robot umpires and should cost him an opportunity to work in the postseason, but the Giants know their fate didn’t come down to bad calls. A long list of crushing, late losses was ultimately their downfall.
“The goal is to get to the playoffs, the goal is to go deep in the playoffs, the goal is to win the World Series, but we weren’t able to accomplish that goal,” Kapler said.
