Opposite dugout: Giants scuffling, but keeping pace in NL West

Manager: Bruce Bochy (10^th season)

Record: 59-42

Last 10 games: 2-8

Who to watch: C Buster Posey (.285 average, 12 HR, 47 RBIs); SS Brandon Crawford (94 hits, 63 RBIs); 1B Brandon Belt (.392 OBP, 92 hits, 11 HR); RHP Johnny Cueto (13-2, 2.53 ERA); LHP Madison Bumgarner (10-6, 2.09 ERA).

Season series vs. Nationals: First meeting (4-3 in 2015)

Pitching probables:

July 28: RHP Tanner Roark vs. RHP Johnny Cueto, 10:15 p.m., MASN2
July 29: RHP Max Scherzer vs. RHP Jeff Samardzija, 10:15 p.m., MASN2
July 30: RHP Joe Ross vs. RHP Jake Peavy, 4:05 p.m., MASN2
July 31: LHP Gio Gonzalez vs. RHP Matt Cain, 4:05 p.m., MASN2

Inside the Giants:

The calendar is once again on an even year. Clearly it's time for the Giants to win the World Series.

It's a silly notion, but over the past six years, the boys from the Bay Area have captured three championships, all in even-numbered seasons. In 2010, the Giants upended the Rangers. In 2012, they beat the Tigers. And two years ago, it was the Royals who fell a game short.

Of course, while history can serve as an interesting debate topic, a 2016 World Series title isn't written in stone for San Francisco. In fact, over their last 10 games, the Giants are just 2-8. But with a 59-42 record, tied for second-best in the majors (coincidentally enough, tied with this weekend's opponent), the Giants are on their way to making this season another memorable one.

On the offensive side of things, the Giants are in the top third of the National League in terms of hitting, posting a .261 team average. Catcher Buster Posey once again leads the way for the offense, hitting .289 with 12 home runs and 47 RBIs, while shortstop Brandon Crawford has driven in 63 RBIs, just outside the top 10 leaderboard in the senior circuit. Posey and Crawford will have to help the offense tread water for the foreseeable future, however, as the Giants are one of the most injury-riddled lineups in baseball. Second baseman Joe Panik is on the 15-day disabled list with concussion-like symptoms, third baseman Matt Duffy is battling an injury to his Achilles while fifth-year Giant Hunter Pence is due to undergo surgery to repair a torn right hamstring. Pence has played in just 50 of the team's 101 games this season after appearing in only 52 in 2015.

As predicted by many baseball pundits in the offseason, the Giants feature one of the best pitching staffs in the league. It's hard to decide between left-hander Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto as to the staff "ace," though you could easily make an argument for either pitcher. Cueto is second in the NL in wins with 13, and will likely battle the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg for this year's NL Cy Young Award. Unfortunately for baseball fans, Strasburg pitched in the Nationals' series finale Wednesday afternoon, meaning we were just one day off from a Strasburg-Cueto matchup. Maybe in the postseason, perhaps? Bumgarner, meanwhile, is aiming for his fourth straight finish in the top-10 for the Cy Young, and currently sports a 10-6 record and a 2.09 ERA. He won't pitch in this series, however. Following Cueto in Thursday's series opener, Jeff Samardzija starts Friday's game, Jake Peavy gets the call Saturday and right-hander Matt Cain goes in Sunday's finale. Samardzija has only one win over the past month, while both Peavy and Cain are trying to get their ERAs under five for the season.

Santiago Casilla shuts things down for the Giants in the bullpen. The 35-year-old has 22 saves on the year, though he is not untouchable. Casilla has four blown saves, the last coming June 1 against the Braves, but he has allowed earned runs in two of his last three appearances. Right-handers Hunter Strickland and Albert Suarez are both 3-1 out of the bullpen while southpaws Josh Osich and Javier Lopez give manager Bruce Bochy plenty of matchup options late in the game.