NL Wild Card Berth Slipping Away from Giants After Four Straight Losses

The San Francisco Giants have gone cold at the worst possible time as their playoff hopes are starting to fade.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Wilmer Flores celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants saw their losing streak grow to four games with a 6-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

San Francisco (75-76) walloped Diamondbacks (77-75) for four runs in the first inning, but the Diamondbacks answered with three runs in the second. Wilmer Flores’ solo home run gave the Giants a 5-3 lead in the third, but Arizona rallied to tie the game with two runs in the fifth. The game remained scoreless until Arizona walked it off in the ninth with a single from Jordan Lawlar, which scored Corbin Carroll.

San Francisco had been one of the hottest teams in baseball as late as Sept. 5, when they won 11 of 12 games. Late last week San Francisco was one-half game out of the final wild card berth. Now, their potential miracle push to the postseason is on life support.

Giants Playoff Hopes Fade

A four-run 1st inning 💥 pic.twitter.com/Yg1eXbpuMq

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) September 17, 2025

On Friday of last week, San Francisco was chasing the New York Mets for the final wild card berth, just one-half game back. The field is still chasing the Mets for that final berth, but the Diamondbacks are now in front of the Giants, thanks to back-to-back wins over San Francisco.

Arizona is 1.5 games back of New York entering Wednesday’s action. The Giants are now three games, and they aren’t the only team three game back. The Cincinnati Reds have also played their way within three games of the final wild card berth.

The top two wild card berths are all but secure. The Chicago Cubs can clinch a playoff berth as early as Wednesday and have a nine-game lead on the Mets. The San Diego Padres are also relatively secure with a four-game lead ahead of the Mets. It would take a total collapse by both teams to shake up the top of the race.

That’s why San Francisco’s losing streak is poorly timed. The Giants have 11 games left and are losing ground when they need to be gaining it.

The Giants are trying to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2021, when it won the NL West. San Francisco last claimed a wild card berth in 2016 and last won a World Series in 2014.  

San Francisco Giants Playoff Watch

Flo' 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/CjCMBPV6d1

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) September 17, 2025

NL Wild Card Race (after Sept. 16)

Chicago Cubs: 87-64 (9.0 games ahead)

San Diego Padres: 82-69 (4.0 games ahead)

New York Mets: 78-73 (last wild card berth)

Arizona Diamondbacks: 77-75 (1.5 games behind final berth)

San Francisco Giants: 75-76 (3.0 games behind final berth)

San Francisco Giants Games Remaining: 11

San Francisco Giants Remaining Schedule: Sept. 17, at Arizona; Sept. 18-21, at Los Angeles Dodgers; Sept. 22-24 vs. St. Louis; Sept. 26-28, vs. Colorado.