© Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

The Giants’ 2018 season has been defined by setbacks, sub-par play and a stagnant offense. Injuries have nagged at Giants players all year and depleted a lineup that has at least looked threatening on paper at times.

Two of the team’s infield staples, the Brandons (Crawford and Belt) have been battling respective knee injuries for the majority of the year. While Belt was sent to the 10-day disabled list on July 27 for a bone bruise in his right knee, Crawford hasn’t been sent to the disabled list this year, however, both he and Belt missed a few days each on paternity leave.

Bruce Bochy said Crawford continues to deal with left knee soreness, while Belt, who isn’t starting today because of knee soreness in his right knee, is likely to need surgery in the offseason, possibly due to a meniscus problem.

“When the year is over, that’s the plan at least,” Bochy said. “Right now, he’s going to finish out the season.”

While Belt came back from the disabled list on August 14, he hasn’t looked anywhere near he was in the first half of the year when he was a borderline All-Star. Neither has Crawford.

Belt was batting .302 on July 10th and dropped to .278 before being sent to the disabled list. Since then, he’s batted .177 and his average has dropped to .258.

Crawford’s drop-off has been even steeper. He’s also batting .258 after batting. 329 in mid-June. He and the rest of the Giants will hope to snap a winless September that has the Giants on season-long nine-game losing streak.