'This is a good team': Rodón high on Giants entering second half

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The Giants endured a tumultuous first half, though they went into the All-Star break riding some momentum after winning seven of their final nine games. At 48-43, they’re only a half-game out of the final National League Wild Card spot, putting them squarely in the playoff mix for now.

Still, it wasn’t long ago that the Giants came close to slipping under .500 thanks to a 4-14 slide that threatened to derail their hopes of making the postseason for the second consecutive year.

“It’s been a little up and down,” left-hander Carlos Rodón said at All-Star Media Day at Dodger Stadium on Monday. “I think as of late we’ve played a lot better. I think we can show that we’re a better team than we showed in the first half. Hopefully we carry that spark that we had these last couple of weeks and put together a nice little run to solidify a playoff spot.”

The Giants have work to do to establish themselves as true contenders this summer, though one cause for optimism lies with their talented starting rotation, which combined to post a 1.21 ERA over their past nine games. The offense also appeared to be coming around prior to the All-Star break, with key hitters Brandon Belt, Mike Yastrzemski and Darin Ruf beginning to heat up after tough first halves.

While the Giants’ struggles earlier this month created whispers that president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi might consider selling at the Aug. 2 Trade Deadline, Rodón said he believes they’ve managed to quash that possibility for now.

“I don’t think Farhan will sell,” Rodón said. “We’re right there for that third Wild Card spot. Who’s to say we still can’t win the division? It obviously would take a lot, but you don’t know. It’s baseball. We’re not even remotely close to being out of it. Not even close at all. This is a good team.

“If we do add some pieces, we could be in a better position. But that’s not up to me.”

That Rodón and outfielder Joc Pederson -- two free-agent additions -- were the Giants’ two All-Stars this year speaks to Zaidi’s ability to identify and add impactful talent.

“It seems like Farhan is pretty good at it,” Rodón said.

The Giants certainly have areas they can try to upgrade, most notably the defense, which has been among the worst in the Majors this season. San Francisco could also try to add one or two high-leverage arms to its bullpen, particularly following the injuries to José Álvarez and Mauricio Llovera and the release of Jake McGee.

“Any move can be significant,” Rodón said. “Whether it’s a big splash in the trade market, I don’t know. I just know there probably will be something.”