The Giants blow a solid outing from Adrian Houser to lose their third series in a row

San Francisco fell to San Diego again on Wednesday, 5-1, and have gone 2-8 in their last ten games as the 2026 season spirals out of control

May 6, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants right fielder Jesus Rodriguez (79) hits a single during the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

There's no doubt about it: the system is blinking red out on the Golden Coast... and it's only early May.

For the San Francisco Giants, that's been long enough to show that they came into 2026 outmatched and outgunned, as they lost once again on Wednesday to the San Diego Padres, 5-1. They are now 14-23 and trail even the lowly Colorado Rockies in the National League West Division. For a franchise that won three World Series in the 2010s, they are now historically bad; they recently concluded the organization's worst-ever April in its 144 years of existence.

It’s been a mess of a season, @PavlovicNBCS writes, and the final two games of another lost series fit right in.

Where do the Giants turn now?https://t.co/zlOlpQ5fBq

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) May 6, 2026

Adrian Houser took the loss, despite allowing just two runs (one earned) over six-plus innings with three strikeouts. It was an inspired outing by righthander, who entered the game with a 7.12 ERA - one of the worst in all of Major League Baseball. Struggling first baseman Rafael Devers also came alive for an opposite-field solo shot, his third home run of the year.

Still, it wasn't enough, as San Francisco's bullpen surrendered three runs late in the contest, and their anemic offense had no answer.

What's next for Tony Vitello & the Giants?

May 2, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello (23) reacts to a call from the umpire during the second inning against Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images | Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

While it seems like an exaggeration to say that first-year manager Tony Vitello might not even make it through his initial season, the possibility is beginning to loom larger. If he somehow shipwrecks this team, where they are on pace for 100 losses, he could end up being the scapegoat in this situation.

The Giants made history when they hired Vitello straight out of the college ranks to become an MLB manager with no previous experience at the head of a professional bench. The move was unprecedented at the time, but now? It's just become alarming.

Despite his success at the University of Tennessee, Vitello looks woefully unprepared for The Show. (At least, for now.) He hasn't shown a particular penchant for strategy, and if he has any skills whatsoever when it comes to motivating this team, he's done a really good job of hiding them. Bottom line: As of early May, the young skipper looks like a failed experience, and the San Francisco Giants are a lame duck in 2026.