I usually want nothing to do with ex-Dodgers. From Todd Benzinger to Orel Hershiser to Steve Finley, I've loudly protested the Giants signing any ex-Dodger—if they'd brought in Yasiel Puig, I honestly couldn't have watched even if he hit 75 home runs. And in most cases, once an ex-Giant voluntarily joins the Dodgers, he's dead to me for the rest of his career (except Sergio Romo because who, besides Frankie Lindor, could ever be mad at Sergio Romo?)

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But in the case of SP Alex Wood, I was all for the signing. No, this isn't revisionist history because Wood is pitching so well; I saw all kinds of potential in the 2017 All-Star, who was a dominant 16-3 that year but had since been, in my opinion, mismanaged by the Dodgers and injured with the Reds. Wood looked good in 2020 and as long as Gabe Kapler and Farhan Zaidi stayed out of his way, I believed he could  recapture his winning form.

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Well, the dude is 5-0, 1.75 with a 0.94 WHIP. He's averaging six innings per start, fielding his position and even getting his bunts down. Plus, he's a good interview. This is one ex-Dodger who—even if his performance slips a bit—I hope sticks around Oracle Park for awhile. (Just never, ever, EVER attempt to steal third base again, Alex. Just. Don't.)

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On Monday 5/10, SF and visiting Texas were locked in a 1-1 tie until Kapler's barrage of 7th-inning pinch-hitters broke the tie—just in time to clinch Wood's 4th win. Tuesday, it was SP Logan Webb's turn to shine; he pitched into the 7th inning and whiffed 10 Rangers. Ex-Giant Charlie Culberson did his old club a solid by committing a TE that allowed the deciding two runs to cross the plate. Belt left this game with a side injury, and was day-to-day the rest of the week.

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Following a travel Wednesday, the Giants visited Pittsburgh for the first time since April 19-21, 2019. The Bucs, 15-21 entering Thursday's game, couldn't take advantage of the late scratches of Belt and SS Brandon Crawford (vaccine side effects) and dropped the series opener; Giants OF Steven Duggar homered for the first time in nearly two years and the SF bullpen made sure Kapler's decision to pull SP Anthony DeSclafani for a PH in the 6th didn't blow up in his face.

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As for Friday and Saturday? Pain.
Despite getting the Brandons back, the Giants offense could do little against Pittsburgh on Friday, wasting eight shutout innings from SP Kevin Gausman, blowing two leads late and falling to the Bucs on a walk-off sac fly by OF Gregory Polanco in the 11th. Saturday, it was the Charlie Blackmon Game all over again; SF blew a 6-2 lead and ultimately lost on a walk-off HR by Pirates C Jacob Stallings off embattled CL Jake McGee.
But boy, did the defense shine prior to that blast—RF Darin Ruf gunned two runners, including one at the plate, and a beautiful relay from LF Mike Tauchman to SS Crawford to C Curt Casali nailed Adam Frazier at the plate in the 9th. Giants SP Johnny Cueto also made two good plays covering 1B, though he may have jammed his ankle/foot on the second one. Which would explain his sudden collapse in the 5th inning.

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That Saturday loss especially hurt because just like the Blackmon Game, it had the early makings of a comfortable Giants win. Ruf, the game's second batter, ripped a 1st-inning solo homer off ex-Giant Tyler Anderson. A few batters later, 1B Wilmer Flores's two-out popup near the mound fell to the grass untouched despite no fewer than four Pirates in its vicinity, and Crawford followed that blunder with a four-bagger to put the Giants up 3-0. But from the 5th inning on, six Giants pitchers allowed eight Pirate runs on 11 Pirate hits...egad.

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San Francisco salvaged a series split behind Wood's six masterful innings Sunday. Though Belt's side got him scratched again, C Buster Posey went 3-for-4 with a walk and is now hitting .382 (which would lead the league by a mile if he had 21 more PA).

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Duggar and UT Mauricio Dubon continued to flash the leather this month, the latter's effort especially impressive as he's played multiple positions. Dubon—who started 13 of the Giants' first 24 games, ran over coach Ron Wotus, and started just seven of 16 since—also batted 7-for-16 (.438) during the week.

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Returning to the roster 5/16 was OF Alex Dickerson, out since 5/5 with a bruised shoulder. He was 1-for-5 with an RBI Sunday. Meanwhile, OF/1B Lamonte Wade, who has struck out in six of 11 AB across his two Giants stints in 2021, returned to AAA Sacramento.

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This week, the Orange And Black travel to Cincinnati 5/17-20, then return home for three with the Dodgers 5/21-23. Go, Giants!