SAN DIEGO — Since Major League Baseball created the second wild card, the baseline to get into the National League’s play-in game has been 88 wins. The Giants are 81-73 after a lifeless 7-2 loss to the Padres on Friday night, and if you can picture them winning 88 games, you’re a special kind of optimist.
This is a team with one three-game winning streak in the second half and just four wins in 12 games since. The thing is, the Giants almost certainly won’t need 88 wins, and they might not have to get close. Their loss Friday was matched by the Cardinals.