When the Giants beat Milwaukee 4-3 on Aug. 24, it seemed like one win in an otherwise disappointing 2025 season. But that 63rd win of the year guaranteed it would not be the worst team in franchise history.

It meant the Giants could not lose 100 games. Only one team in New York or San Francisco Giants history lost 100 games. That “honor” happened 40 years ago, the 1985 Giants, who went 62-100.

It was the worst team in baseball that year by many metrics. It scored the fewest runs (556), and had the lowest batting average (.233), lowest on-base percentage (.299) and fewest RBI (517).

Not only was the 1985 squad the only Giants team to lose 100 games, it recorded the lowest yearly team batting average, and second-fewest runs per game in team history.

The Giants finished last in the NL West, 33 games behind Los Angeles. The team had a chance to avoid notoriety in the last game of the year. Down 6-0 to the Braves, the Giants battled back to take the lead, only to lose 8-7.

Even with 100 losses, it was not the worst team in baseball that season. Pittsburgh and Cleveland had even more miserable records.

However, Giants pitching was better than average, posting a 3.61 earned run average, eighth best in baseball. Six pitchers started at least 19 games, and the team only used 15 pitchers total. By comparison, the 2025 Giants will have only four starters with 19-plus starts and have used 31 different pitchers.

Lots of Birthdays, and Future Broadcasters

The team was so bad, it aged first baseman David Green five years — literally. He was one of four players on the team the Giants received when it traded disgruntled star Jack Clark to St. Louis in the offseason.

Once considered a budding prospect, it was soon revealed that the Nicaraguan star lied about his age. He was really 29, not 24. A scout who tried to sign Green early in his career revealed the age fudging. Either way, Green couldn’t hit. After a slow start — he didn’t hit over .200 until July — he finished with a .248 average and five homers.

Duane Kuiper closed out his career in 1985. The slick-fielding but light-hitting second baseman retired at the end of June. Newspaper reports at the time said Kuiper planned to retire in spring training to take a TV job with Cleveland. But, the Giants said they would keep Kuiper on the roster, albeit on the disabled list, so he could earn 10 years of service time and the MLB pension.

Kuiper bided his time joining the Giants’ broadcast booth. Just when he reached the 10-year mark, the Giants actually activated Kuiper. It was such an unexpected move that Kuiper, traveling with the club in Pittsburgh for a final hurrah, didn’t even have his uniform. He wore a makeshift No. 34 instead of his custom 18.

He often recounted the story of transferring his plane ticket home to Cleveland to Johnnie LeMaster — who had been traded to the Indians, as they were known then, making room for Kuiper on the roster.

Kuiper has been in the broadcast booth ever since. Other 1985 Giants who are currently announcers include pitcher Mike Krukow (San Francisco), catchers Bob Brenly (Arizona) and Alex Trevino (Houston), and outfielder Dan Gladden, a former Fresno State star (Minnesota). Pitcher Bill Laskey currently hosts a radio show on the Giants flagship KNBR in San Francisco.

Two Giants went on to become big league managers — Brenly and Ron Roenicke.

And another contrast between then and now: in 1985, the Giants used the disabled list just twice, Kuiper and infielder Brad Wellman. In 2025, the team used what baseball now calls the injured list 20 times.

Hope to Come

But there was light at the end of the tunnel — and not because the Giants deliberately scheduled 64 of their 81 home games in the daytime at Candlestick Park. Will Clark — starting his pro career in Fresno in 1985 — and Robby Thompson joined the team in 1986. Veteran Mike Krukow found his stride, winning 20 games.

The optimism started Sept. 18, when ownership made a change on top, firing manager Jim Davenport and general manager Tom Haller. Roger Craig and Al Rosen replaced them.

Rosen was fired days earlier on Sept. 13, 1985, as Houston’s general manager. Craig was working as a part-time scout for Detroit after serving as a pitching coach for the 1984 World Series champion Tigers.

Owner Bob Lurie called the move “a major turning point in the history” of the team. Rosen and Craig led the Giants to a 1987 division title, and the National League pennant in 1989.

Twelve members — players and front office — of the 1985 team are enshrined in the Giants Wall of Fame: Vida Blue, Brenly, Chili Davis, Scott Garrelts, Davenport, Haller, Atlee Hammaker, Lurie, Krukow, LeMaster, Jeffrey Leonard, and Greg Minton.

The 1985 Giants

Vida Blue, P

1985: Blue came back from the brink, or more like the clink. He served three months in prison and was suspended for the 1984 season for drugs in the “Just Say No” 1980s. He returned to San Francisco the following year, posting an 8-8 record.

Since: Blue lasted until 1986, where he eventually retired. He served as a community ambassador for the Giants and radio host in San Francisco. Blue died in 2023, at age 73.

Bob Brenly, C

1985: Coming off a 1984 All-Star appearance, Brenly had a down year. He lost 71 points off his batting average, but led the team with 19 homers.

Since: A perennial favorite, Brenly played for the Giants (in two different stints) through 1989 before retiring. He coached, broadcast, and managed the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks to the World Series title. He is currently a D-Backs broadcaster.

Chili Davis, RF

1985: Davis was one of many Giants who saw a 1984 to 1985 slide, losing 45 points off his average down to .270. His power declined to 13 homers (from 21 in 1984).

Since: He signed as a free agent after 1987 with the Twins, and played 19 years with five teams through 1999. Davis coached for several teams after his career, including the A’s, Red Sox, Cubs, and Mets.

Mark Davis, P

1985: A tough luck reliever, Davis went 5-12 out of the bullpen.

Since: The Giants traded Davis to the Padres in 1987. In 1989, as the closer, he won the NL Cy Young Award. He pitched through 1997. He coached for the Diamondbacks and Royals after he retired.

Rob Deer, OF

1985: A rookie, the free-swinging Deer was a backup outfielder, with eight homers and 71 strikeouts.

Since: The Giants traded Deer to Milwaukee in the offseason, and he continued his homer-or-strikeout style. He hit 230 career homers in 11 seasons, and led the league in strikeouts four times. He is part of the Brewers Wall of Honor. Today, he lives in Arizona, hosting a podcast.

Scott Garrelts, P

1985: The lone All-Star as the closer, Garrelts posted a 9-6 record with 13 saves. He was twice NL Player of the Week, and Relief Man for August.

Since: Garrelts played his entire career with the Giants through 1991. He led the NL with a 2.28 ERA when he switched to a starter in the 1989 pennant-winning season.

Dan Gladden, CF

1985: The Fresno State star led the Giants with 32 stolen bases, starting in center field.

1986: Traded to Minnesota after 1986, Gladden helped the Twins win the World Series in 1987 and 1991. He is currently a Twins broadcaster.

Jim Gott, P

1985: Acquired in an offseason trade with Toronto for Gary Lavelle, Gott went 7-10 as a starter.

Since: The Giants waived Gott in 1987. He pitched until 1995. He has worked as a coach, including this season for the California League Stockton Ports (Class A affiliate of the A’s).

David Green, 1B

1985: Green never lived up to his potential, despite being the key piece in return in the Jack Clark trade. He lied about his age, and couldn’t hit.

Since: The Giants dealt Green to the Brewers after 1985, and he played one more season, 1987 with St. Louis. He died in 2022 at the age of 61.

Atlee Hammaker, P

1985: Hammaker went 5-12, another pitcher with a sub-4.00 ERA in 29 starts. He was coming off arm surgery in 1984.

Since: Hammaker pitched the Giants through 1990 and ended his career in 1995. He suffered several arm injuries during his career. He is the father-in-law of catcher Yan Gomes.

Mike Krukow, P

1985: The leader of the Giants rotation, Krukow went 8-11 with a 3.38 ERA. He won the team’s Willie Mac Award for most inspirational player.

Since: Krukow won 20 games the next year, retiring after the 1989 season. He endeared himself to Giants fans with his honesty and grit. He entered the broadcast booth, and has been there ever since.

Dave LaPoint, P

1985: In his one year with the Giants after the Jack Clark trade, he lost 17 games as a starter, compiling a 7-17 record, but with an ERA under 4.00.

Since: LaPoint pitched 12 seasons through 1991. He was dealt to Detroit in the Bob Melvin trade after the 1985 season. He managed independent league clubs after his career.

Bill Laskey, P

1985: After four seasons, the Giants traded Laskey to Montreal in August for Dan Driessen and Scot Thompson. He went 5-11 as a starter with San Francisco, with a 3.55 ERA. At one point, he lost eight decisions in a row.

Since: After the season, the Giants traded back for Laskey. He pitched one more season (1988 with Cleveland). Today Laskey hosts a radio show on KNBR in San Francisco, and runs Big League Coaching Fantasy Camp.

Duane Kuiper, 2B

1985: Kuiper finished his big league career, playing only nine games.

Since: Like Krukow, Kuiper joined the Giants broadcast team and has been there since, except the 1993 season when he worked for the Rockies. Kuiper and Krukow have formed a broadcast partnership considered by many to be tops on TV.

Jeffrey Leonard, LF

1985: A longtime 1980s Giants, Leonard — known for his stern demeanor — hit 17 homers. He testified that season in the Pittsburgh baseball cocaine trials in exchange for immunity.

Since: The Giants traded HacMan — the 1987 NLCS MVP — o Milwaukee in 1988. He played through 1990. After coaching in college and the minors, Leonard is a community ambassador for the Giants.

Greg Minton, P

1985: The longest tenured Giant, Minton pitched in 68 games in relief.

Since: The Giants released Minton after 13 seasons in 1987. He pitched through 1990 with the Angels.

Gary Rajsich, IF

1985: Acquired in the Jack Clark trade, he hit under .200 — light-hitting infielders were a theme for this team — and was gone by July, sold back to St. Louis.

Since: After the Giants, Rajsich continued his career in Japan through 1988. He later became a scout for several major league teams. He is currently a senior advisor in the Braves’ scouting department.

Alex Trevino, C

1985: The Giants traded for Trevino in the first week of the season from Atlanta, to back up Brenly. He hit .217 in 57 games.

Since: He was dealt to the Dodgers in the offseason, and played through 1990. He has broadcast Astros games on Spanish radio since 1996.

Manny Trillo, 2B

1985: A veteran free agent signing in 1984, Trillo never quite panned out as the star the Giants hoped.  He hit .224, a 30-point drop from 1984, with three homers, and 25 RBI.

Since: The Giants traded Trillo in the offseason to the Cubs. He played for Chicago and Cincinnati through 1989. He is a member of the Phillies Wall of Fame.

Jose Uribe, SS

1985: Acquired in the Jack Clark trade, Uribe — previously known as Jose Gonzalez — the rookie became the everyday shortstop through 1992. He became a Giants fan favorite, with the chant “OOO-REE-BAY” every time he stepped to the plate.

Since: He played one more year, 1993 with Houston. He died in a 2006 car accident in his home nation of the Dominican Republic at the age of 47.

Brad Wellman, IF

1985: Wellman hit .236 with no homers. He also missed time with a knee injury.

Since: Wellman played one more year with the Giants, and finished his career in 1989 (after stints with the Dodgers and Royals). His son, Casey Wellman, is a professional hockey player.

Frank Williams, P

1985: In his second season, Williams pitched 49 games out of the bullpen.

Since: He pitched one more season for the Giants, before being traded to the Reds in 1987. He pitched through 1989. He lived a tough life after baseball, reportedly homeless at one point. Williams died in 2009 at the age of 50.

Joel Youngblood, UT

1985: As he did for most of his Giants career (1983-88), Youngblood was the club’s top pinch hitter, hitting .281 off the bench. He hit .270 overall.

Since: Youngblood played through 1989. He served as a coach and a scout in his post-playing career.

Scot Thompson, IF

1985: Mainly a backup first baseman, Thompson hit .224 before being traded to Montreal for Dan Driessen.

Since: 1985 was his last season in baseball. He retired to his Butler, Pennsylvania hometown, becoming a financial adviser.

Chris Brown, 3B

1985: Finishing fourth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting, Brown was one of the few offensive highlights for the Giants. He led the team with a .271 batting average, hitting 16 homers.

Since: Labeled as a malingerer for taking his time to recoup from injuries, the Giants traded Brown in the 1987 blockbuster deal with the Padres. He played through 1989. After baseball, Brown drove fuel trucks in Iraq during the war. He died in 2006 at the age of 45, in a mysterious fire in his Houston-area home.

Doug Gwosdz, C

1985: A player so obscure, you may not find Gwosdz — pronounced “goosh” and appropriately nicknamed “Eyechart” — on the roster at all. He made the team out of spring training, and only spent seven days on the roster, never entering a game on defense or offense.

Since: Gwosdz stuck around the minors through 1989, but never played in the big leagues again. He played parts of four seasons (1981-84) with San Diego.

Matt Nokes, C

1985: A September call-up, Nokes homered twice in 19 games.

Since: The Giants traded Nokes to Detroit in the offseason, acquiring current manager Bob Melvin, then a young catcher. Nokes made the All-Star team for the Tigers in 1987, playing 11 years for five teams through 1995. Today he is a private baseball coach in his hometown of San Diego.

Johnnie LeMaster, IF

1985: The ultimate light-hitting infielder, LeMaster ended his 11-year run with the Giants, traded away in May. He batted .225 in his Giants career, with his career done by 1987.

Since: LeMaster played for the three worst teams in 1985, the Giants, traded to Cleveland, and finishing the year in Pittsburgh. After a 1987 stint with the A’s, he was done. He is on the Giants Wall of Fame. He remains a fan favorite, even with a dedicated X account. Today, he serves as an elder at his church in Paintsville, Kentucky.

Dan Driessen, 1B

1985: A one-time member of the Big Red Machine, Driessen came over in the Bill Laskey/Scot Thompson trade, hitting .232 with three homers for the Giants in 54 games. He platooned at first with David Green.

Since: Pushed out in 1986 by the emergence of Will Clark, Driessen played through 1987 with Houston and St. Louis. Today he runs an excavating business in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Ron Roenicke, OF

1985: A midseason call-up with some MLB experience, Roenicke hit .256 in 65 games.

Since: Roenicke logged eight seasons through 1988, but is better known as a MLB manager for the Brewers (2011-2015) and Red Sox (2020). He currently serves as a Dodgers special assistant to the general manager.

Ricky Adams, IF

1985: In his lone season with the Giants, Adams played 54 games as a backup, with a .190 batting average.

Since: Adams never returned to the Majors, and retired after 1987. He died of cancer in 2011 at the age of 52.

Mike Woodward, IF

1985: A September call-up, Woodward started 19 games at second base.

Since: Woodward played with the Giants through 1987, but never latched on as a full-timer. He played for the White Sox in 1988, and retired after 1989. He is currently an assistant coach at Triton College in Illinois.

Jeff Robinson, P

1985: A rookie call-up in September, Robinson appeared in eight relief appearances.

Since: The Giants traded Robinson to Pittsburgh in 1987 for Rick Reuschel. He pitched through 1992. He is not to be confused with another Jeff Robinson, who pitched at the same time and died in 2014.

Roger Mason, P

1985: A September call-up, Mason pitched five games in relief.

Since: An early adopter of Roger Craig’s split-finger fastball, Mason slowly developed for the Giants in the next two seasons. He was cut in 1988, but pitched for six other teams through 1994.

Colin Ward, P

1985: A September call-up, Ward saw his only big league action, pitching six games, including two as a starter.

Since: The Giants tried to trade Ward in the offseason to the Reds, but that deal was voided. He was traded early in the 1987 season to the Padres.

Mike Jeffcoat, P

1985: Acquired from Cleveland in the LeMaster trade, Jeffcoat pitched 19 games, starting one. He was cut in the offseason.

Since: Jeffcoat latched on with Texas, where he pitched for six years, and ended his career with the expansion Marlins in 1993. He was the head coach for 17 years at Texas Wesleyan University from 2002 to 2018.

Bobby Moore, P

1985: Moore pitched his only season in the majors as a September call-up. He relieved in 11 games after 10 seasons in the minors.

Since: The Giants cut Moore the next season, and he pitched in the minors, and international leagues through 1995. He later coached and mentored youth players. He died in 2015 at the age of 56.