Giants Still Searching for First Series Sweep After Loss to Angels

The Bay Area Nine were thwarted in their attempt to pick up their first three-game sweep of the 2026 campaign with a 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Halos

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Francisco Giants played a solid series against the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend, taking two out of three games at Oracle Park. The Halos were able to manage a 4-3 win to thwart the Bay Area Nine's bid to secure their first sweep of the season.

The Padres hit a matching set of homers off rookie starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt, as both Jorge Soler and Jo Adell went yard in the fourth inning. Adrian Houser provided four scoreless innings in relief duty, but the Giants fell short of a comeback.

After bowling over the first two games of the set, the team guttered when they went for the spare. Every other MLB team has swept at least one three-game series this year, while 'Frisco always seems to fall short. The last time the Giants had failed to sweep a three-game series this far into a season was 1956.

Giants’ bid for first series sweep of season foiled by Angels, record when trailing after 7 worsens despite late comeback attempt; lots to like about Whisenhunt's day; Arraez OK after thumb jammed at 2B: https://t.co/17BPYZfdy5 via @sfchronicle

— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) July 26, 2026

The Giants (52-60 |4th, NL West) are obviously out of the playoff race now in late July, and have been for a while. But so are the Angels, who have the worst record in the American League at 42-64. Only the Colorado Rockies are worse - but only by one game.

Still, the Giants' distant neighbors didn't fold in the fight. As 'Frisco manager Tony Vitello stated following the game, you can never count out any opponent at the Major League level.

“You’re playing another team that’s going to scratch and claw to try and get away with a win in those situations,” manager Tony Vitello said regarding the loss. “For us, earlier in the year, you could question, is there enough killer instinct or … maybe we weren’t doing the things we needed to do. But today preparation was there, and obviously we fought up until the very last pitch."

Looking Ahead for the Giants

Giants pitcher Tyler Mahle, Monday's scheduled starter | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Giants now welcome the Milwaukee Brewers, owners of the second-best record in MLB at 66-39. Righthander Tyler Mahle (2-9, 5.31 ERA, 77 strikeouts) will get the start for San Fran, while fellow righty Brandon Sproat (3-5, 5.09 ERA, 91 Ks) will take the hill for the Brew Crew.

“If we can pitch and play defense like [the Angels series] and hunt down that fourth run, the other series, the rest of the year, will be good, and I think overall, this was a good series. It’s just really hard to say that based off the very end there," Vitello stated.