Throughout the first six-plus weeks of the season, it’s been easy to draw comparisons between the 2021 Giants and the 2016 Giants.

This year’s first-place club has injected renewed energy and a sense of optimism into a fan base that’s suffered through four losing seasons, but Gabe Kapler’s team has also dealt with an all-too-familiar issue that became the 2016 Giants’ downfall.

The bullpen is a major problem.

A Pittsburgh Pirates team that’s in last place in the National League Central rallied for six runs against the Giants’ bullpen on Saturday, scoring four in the seventh before catcher Jacob Stallings hit a two-run walk-off blast against closer Jake McGee to defeat the Giants 8-6.

“It’s unfortunate,” McGee said. “It sucks to give up a 6-2 lead tonight and lose the game, but at the end of the day, we’re going to have a long season.”

Left fielder Mike Tauchman and shortstop Brandon Crawford nearly saved the game for the Giants in the bottom of the ninth with a 7-6-2 relay to throw out Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier trying to score the game-winner from first, but Stallings came to bat with two outs and hit the second pitch he saw from McGee into the left field bleachers.

After home runs from Darin Ruf, Crawford and Tauchman pushed the Giants out to a 6-2 lead, an inconsistent bullpen was unable to shut the door as a struggling Pirates offense rallied for four seventh-inning runs against Sam Selman and rookie Camilo Doval.

“Losing some close ones the last few days can get you feeling down, but this team has enough veteran leadership to rebound quickly and we’re looking forward to getting out there tomorrow,” Ruf said.

Selman didn’t give up a hit, but he walked a batter and hit another with a pitch before Kapler called on Doval to face a right-handed hitter, Pirates shortstop Kevin Newman. The middle infielder blooped a single in front of Ruf, who had two outfield assists Saturday, and allowed Pittsburgh to extend the frame against Doval, who has had his confidence shaken in recent outings.

“He has difficulty with hitting his spots and that’s just going to take time and experience,” Kapler said.

Doval possesses a 100-mile per hour fastball and a wipeout slider, but has been plagued by command issues in his first taste of major league action. The Giants’ desire to use him in leverage situations makes sense because of his sky-high potential, but like so many other arms in their bullpen, Doval has yet to prove he’s trustworthy in the late innings.

“I think he may be lacking a little bit of confidence right now,” Kapler said. “I think that’s a possibility. We’re definitely seeing the life on the fastball, we’re definitely seeing some bite on the slider, but both of those weapons are a little inconsistent.”

The 2016 Giants raced out to an impressive start thanks to excellent starting pitching and timely hitting, but the club faltered during the second half of the season due to bullpen issues and set a franchise record for blown saves. The 2021 rotation has been even better and the offense has done enough to keep the club ahead of the Padres and Dodgers in the National League West, but bullpen woes have cost the Giants a chance to build up a sizable cushion in a division that promises to be one of the most competitive in the majors this year.

Aside from calling on different personnel from the minor leagues, Kapler believes there’s one adjustment the Giants can make that will give their bullpen a chance to be more successful: Throwing more strikes.

“We make good hitters much worse when we’re ahead in the count and we stay ahead in the count, so I think that’s key for us and key for our bullpen,” Kapler said.