Rafael Devers’ two homers power Giants past Braves
Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers watches the flight of his three-run home run in the sixth inning Wednesday against the Braves in Atlanta. Todd Kirkland/Getty Images
07.23.25 – Rafael Devers hit two home runs, and Justin Verlander ended a historic 16-game win less streak in Giants history, as San Francisco powers past the Atlanta Braves 9-3 on Wednesday.
After Monday’s sloppy loss to the Braves, their sixth straight defeat, the team gathered for a kick-in-the-butt talk. With the trade deadline fast approaching and the team technically in position to add for a run at the postseason, it was not a good time for the Giants to play unfocused, losing ball.
“Sometimes you need to just hear it and hit the reset button and move forward. We’re all big boys here, the goal never changed, but it’s good to all get on the same page,” third baseman Matt Chapman said. “We need to play better, we put ourselves in a position to play for an opportunity to play in the playoffs, the division still in reach. We’re in the hunt. So to come out and play that kind of baseball, especially the first game being sloppy and unpolished, it’s not what we worked hard for all year.”
The next two games the Giants outscored the Braves 18-3, played clean, and saw some of their most important bats start to light up.
Devers, back at designated hitter after making his debut as a first baseman on Tuesday, hit two home runs and singled (with a 114.2 mph exit velocity, his hardest hit of the year). The first home run was perhaps the most impressive: He golfed a Spencer Strider’s slider that was less than a foot off the dirt into right field, giving the Giants a lead in the fifth inning. Two batters later, Chapman added a two-run homer to right-center field.
In the sixth inning, Devers blasted Dylan Dodd’s cutter down and in 410 feet for a more traditional-looking three-run shot, making it 6-0. Since the All-Star break ended last weekend, Devers is 10-for-26 (.385) with two home runs and two doubles in six games.
“When he gets extended he has power behind it. Off the bat I had a pretty good feeling about it,” manager Bob Melvin said of the golfed home run. “His swings have been really good recently. … He’s starting to heat up, which we would expect. And when he gets hot, he can carry a team.”
2025.07.23 (Giants vs. Braves) See Full Highlights
Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Braves on Wednesday in Atlanta. Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Brave/Getty Images
2025.07.23 (Giants vs. Braves) See Full Highlights
2025.07.23 (Giants vs. Braves) See Full Highlights
Verlander’s win didn’t look likely in the first inning. The Braves’ bats worked him for long at-bats and three walks to load the bases. Verlander burned through 40 pitches — he would have been out of the game if he neared 50 — but managed to escape the inning without allowing a run. He was far more efficient in the middle innings, facing near the minimum until White’s single in the rainy fifth. His fastball velocity averaged 94.8 mph and he gave up little hard contact. This time, it was enough.
“This team all year has fought, you see our character on the field quite often,” Verlander said. “We fell into a rut where that wasn’t showing up as far as we’d like, but it’s still in there.”
In the middle of the fifth inning, the skies opened up and unleashed rain over Truist Park. Verlander scurried to the mound to get the ball and whatever intel he could from home plate umpire Ryan Wills on the passing storm clouds.
It was imperative that Verlander get through the next half inning. With the San Francisco Giants’ three-run lead and the Atlanta Braves without a run, or even a hit, Verlander’s first win as a Giant was on the line. His 16-game streak without a win had come with plenty of bad luck. It would have been par for the course had Wednesday’s bout of rain wasted his best shot yet.
“I figured something like that would happen,” Verlander said. “It’d be like, OK, this would be the game that gets rained out and there’s going to be a two-hour delay and they won’t let me back out. … It was so light it didn’t matter that much.”
2025.07.23 – Giants vs. Braves (NBC Sports post recap)
After getting his first win of the season, on Wednesday against the Braves in Atlanta, future Hall of Fame Justin Verlander is 37 wins from the 300-win club. Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Brave/Getty Images
2025.07.23 – Giants vs. Braves (NBC Sports post recap)
2025.07.23 – Giants vs. Braves (NBC Sports post recap)
After a refreshing interlude to a hot, humid afternoon on the mound, Verlander got back to business. Eli White blooped a single just fair in right field, representing the first hit Verlander allowed. Matt Olson also drew his third walk of the afternoon, but Verlander stranded the runners with his third strikeout.
The Giants went on to beat the Braves, claiming the series and handing Verlander his first victory of the year. It took more than half the 2025 season, but the shoo-in Hall of Famer is now 37 wins from the exclusive 300-win club. His 16-game streak without a win sits as the longest by a Giants starting pitcher in a single season, beating Matt Cain’s previous 15-game streak set in 2017. Verlander was one shy of tying Mark Davis’ 17-game winless streak that spanned three seasons from 1984-86.
The streak weighed heavy on Verlander’s teammates, who celebrated snapping it by gifting him a bottle of wine. For Verlander, chasing a single win put into perspective the magnitude of his pursuit of 300.
2025.07.23 – Giants vs. Braves (Locked On post recap)
Giants designated hitter Rafael Devers celebrates with third baseman Matt Chapman after hitting a home run in the sixth inning against the Braves on Wednesday in Atlanta. Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Brave/Getty Images
2025.07.23 – Giants vs. Braves (Locked On post recap)
2025.07.23 – Giants vs. Braves (Locked On post recap)
“Sometimes when things are going well you take wins for granted, and you just go out there and pitch every five days and you’re winning most of them, and you’re in the high-five line afterward and you’re thinking I did my job and we won,” Verlander said. “It’s been a tough stretch for me physically and on the mound a bit, so hopefully this gets the ball rolling in the right direction.”
The Giants, too, are hoping to shift in the right direction. This win showed signs that they’re getting right.
UP NEXT
The Giants, off on Thursday, return home to open a weekend series against the New York Mets on Friday night. Giants RHP Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08) is scheduled to face RHP Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48).
The Braves play at Texas on Friday night with LHP Joey Wentz (2-1, 5.71) scheduled for face Rangers RHP Nathan Eovaldi (7-3, 1.58).
2025.07.22 (Giants vs. Braves) See Full Highlights
2025.07.22 (Giants vs. Braves) See Full Highlights
Rafael Devers starts at first base and helps Giants beat Braves 9-0
07.22.25 – Rafael Devers was error free in his first career start at first base and added two hits and an RBI as the San Francisco Giants snapped a season-worst six-game skid with a 9-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.
2025.07.21 (Giants vs Braves) See Full Highlights
2025.07.21 (Giants vs Braves) See Full Highlights
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SF Giants 2014 World Series Champions