SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: The San Francisco Giants celebrate their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The San Francisco Giants clinched their first postseason berth since 2016 and currently have the best record in Major League baseball at 94-50.
It’s the earliest a Giants team has ever clinched a playoff spot in the 139-year history of the franchise, with 18 games and 20 days now remaining in the regular season. Entering Monday, the Giants’ 93 wins through 143 games were fourth-most for any NL team since 1969.
The Giants hit four home runs, with Tommy La Stella and Evan Longoria both taking Padres starter Yu Darvish deep in the first inning, and Mike Yastrzemski and Brandon Belt doing the same in the fourth. Longoria’s three-run blast gave San Francisco a 5-0 lead, and Belt’s two-run shot put the Giants up 9-1.
They remain two and a half games ahead of their rival the Los Angeles Dodgers, and face the Padres again on their home turf for two more games this week until the Atlanta Braves come to town for the weekend.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: Mascot Lou Seal holds up a sign as the San Francisco Giants celebrate their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: The San Francisco Giants celebrate their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: Young fans wait for autographs as the San Francisco Giants leave the field after their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: Fireworks are launched after the San Francisco Giants 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Jarlin Garcia #66 and others leave the field as the team celebrates their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: The San Francisco Giants celebrate their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Kervin Castro #76 and catcher Curt Casali #2 celebrate their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: The San Francisco Giants celebrate their 9-1 MLB win over the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. The Giants clinched their first postseason playoff spot since 2016. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford #35 hits a double off San Diego Padres relief itcher Dinelson Lamet #29 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Diego Padres center fielder Trent Grisham #2 and second baseman Adam Frazier #12 S field a double hit by an Francisco Giants’ Brandon Crawford #35 in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants rookie relief pitcher Kervin Castro #76 throws against the San Diego Padres in the ninth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 is congratulated in the dugout after scoring on an RBI double by Brandon Crawford #35 in the eighth inning of their MLB game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt #9 hits a two-run home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Brandon Belt #9 heads to the dugout after hitting a two-run home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 scoring Curt Casali, #2 left, in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey #28 smiles in the dugout during the fourth inning of their MLB game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 is congratulated by Curt Casali #2 after hitting a solo home run off starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Diego Padres center fielder Trent Grisham #2 and right fielder Wil Myers #5 can’t get to a solo home run hit by San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Mike Yastrzemski #5 hits a solo home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria #10 is congratulated by Brandon Crawford #35 and LaMonte Wade Jr. #31 after hitting a three-run home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants’ Evan Longoria #10 hits a three-run home run off San Diego Padres starting pitcher Yu Darvish #11 in the first inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Zack Littell #46 throws against the San Diego Padres in the fourth inning of their MLB game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken #92 is seen in the dugout in the before their MLB game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: San Francisco Giants center fielder Mike Yastrzemski #5 fist bumps San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Dominic Leone #52 before their MLB game against the San Diego Padres at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, Sept. 13, 2021. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
