The Giants have the worst record in the NL. They are seven games back in the NL West already, and it’s just April 23. Madison Bumgarner might not throw another pitch this year.
So should they try to tank this season?
Let’s preface with this: you don’t ask that question of players, you ask it of management.
Players don’t try to tank games. They are competitors. If a front office wants to run out a Double-A team for a year or three, knowing they’re likely to be overmatched and lose something near to 100 games, then that is a decision made above the manager’s pay grade.