SAN FRANCISCO–The Giants’ front office thought it had constructed a winner.
Even after a 98-loss season, executives Brian Sabean and Bobby Evans were determined to keep a core group of players with a championship pedigree together.
They added to that core with Andrew McCutchen, Evan Longoria, Austin Jackson and Tony Watson and built out depth by signing minor league free agents like Dereck Rodríguez and Alen Hanson. The Giants expected to be deep enough to withstand the injuries that derailed their 2017 season.
But at the end of August, Sabean and Evans acknowledged the 2018 train carrying the Giants also ran off the tracks.