San Francisco Giants season preview

State of play: The Giants won 107 games in the 2021 season, 81 in 2022 and just 79 last season.

• The Giants shook things up this offseason with the firing of manager Gabe Kapler and the addition of some key players, like center fielder and leadoff hitter Jung Hoo Lee, Platinum Glove third baseman Matt Chapman and two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell.
• Lee was the Giants' most expensive acquisition, but the hope is that his $113 million, six-year deal will provide dividends for this season and beyond.

What they're saying: "We accomplished pretty much everything we set out to in terms of improving our defense, adding front-end pitching, creating lanes for our young players to impact the team," Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi told NBC Sports Bay Area this week.

• "I'm just really excited to get going here and to be able to ride the momentum of these last couple of additions so soon into the season."

Yes, but: The Giants still face an uphill battle in the highly competitive National League West, with the Los Angeles Dodgers projected to be one of the best teams in the entire league.

Zoom in: The Giants are 12-10 in spring training while the Dodgers are 13-5, but these games don't count toward the regular season.

What to watch: The Giants face the San Diego Padres during MLB Opening Day next Thursday, March 28, in San Diego.

• You can catch your SF Giants in the team's home opener on April 5, but don't expect to hear longtime Giants announcer Renel Brooks-Moon, who is leaving the organization after 24 years.