Devers continues to heat up as Giants top Pirates in series opener

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants have yet to see the best version of Rafael Devers in 2026. But the three-time All-Star certainly appears to be trending in the right direction.

Devers took another step toward breaking out of his early cold spell by launching his second home run in as many games in the Giants’ 5-2 win over the Pirates in Friday night’s series opener at Oracle Park.

The Giants (15-23) entered Friday having lost eight of their last nine games and fell behind early after Marcell Ozuna took veteran left-hander Robbie Ray deep in the top of the second. But Devers quickly came through with the equalizer in the bottom half of the inning, smoking a down-the-middle fastball from Pirates right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski over the center-field fence for his fourth homer of the season.

It was an encouraging sign for Devers, who has struggled to do damage against four-seam fastballs this year. The 29-year-old entered Friday batting only .200 with a 47.3% whiff rate and a 56.5% strikeout rate on those pitches in 2026, but he’s been looking more comfortable at the plate over the last week, going 9-for-26 (.346) with two doubles and two homers over his current eight-game hitting streak.

A resurgent Devers would be a major boon to a Giants offense that entered Friday last in the Majors in runs, homers and walks this year. The club’s bats seemed to collectively perk up following a much-needed day off on Thursday, combining for 12 hits against the Pirates, including two apiece from Devers, Jung Hoo Lee, Luis Arraez, Willy Adames and Heliot Ramos.

Ramos gave the Giants a 2-1 lead with a go-ahead single in the bottom of the fourth, and the Giants added on with a three-run rally in the seventh. It proved to be enough for Ray, who had to grind through a 31-pitch third but still managed to get through six innings and earn his third win of the year.