National League West report: Giants living on the edge

The San Francisco Giants fell to seven games under .500 as late as August 22, well out of contention, but spent the next three weeks clawing their way back to relevance, aided by a free fall by the New York Mets.

New York fell on Saturday to the Rangers, their eighth straight loss. Their game came before the Giants hosting the Dodgers that night. San Francisco after getting a walk-off grand slam by Patrick Bailey to win on Friday for their 14th win in 18 games, were at 75-72 (.5102) on the season,

technically percentage point better than the Mets at 76-73 (.5101) at that moment.

But then the Giants got their doors blown off twice by the Dodgers on Saturday and Sunday, outscored 23-9, while the Mets earned a walk-off win on Sunday.

San Francisco remains in the hunt, 1 1/2 games out of the final wild card spot with two weeks left to play.

Matt Chapman is a five-time Gold Glove Award winner, but this year the Giants third baseman has battled through some injuries, and he told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle that he’s asked several times for the infield dirt at Oracle Park to be softened:

“I’ve never had this issue before,” Chapman said before the Giants’ game against the Dodgers, pointing at a quarter-sized hole at the base of his left hand. “The infield is so hard, it just keeps ripping open, and I’m always worried it’s going to happen again. It’s starting to affect the way I play defense.”