The SF Giants thought they were buying stability when they signed Harrison Bader to a two-year deal. They wanted cleaner defense in the outfield, and Bader brought exactly the kind of reputation that makes a front office feel good about the move. But the way things have unfolded, that signing now looks unnecessary at best - and, in hindsight, flat-out regrettable.
A big reason is Drew Gilbert.
Gilbert entered the year looking like a player who might top out as a fringe fourth outfielder. His rookie season with San Francisco was rough, with a .598 OPS in 103 plate appearances. He didn’t really impact the ball, and he didn’t show the kind of platoon split that would force his way into the lineup.
That’s changed. Over the last few months, the 25-year-old has moved from afterthought to a player the Giants can actually lean on.
Against right-handed pitching this season, Gilbert has produced a .802 OPS with eight home runs and 35 RBI in 294 plate appearances. That’s the sort of line that earns regular at-bats, especially in those matchups.
He’s done it while holding down center field, too. Gilbert showed enough there last year to hint at real value, but the bigger question was whether the bat would ever catch up.
This season, it has. He’s also given the Giants more than just competent defense, piling up 3 Outs Above Average and 2 Fielding Run Value up the middle.
The numbers say Gilbert has been a real contributor: 1.1 fWAR this year, even with sporadic playing time. Jonah Cox has added 0.6 fWAR in center field as well, and together that 1.7 fWAR tops the 1.2 fWAR Steamer projected for Bader this season.
That doesn’t mean the Giants were wrong to chase Bader in the first place. At the time, they had a clear need, and Bader’s track record made him look like a logical fix for an outfield that had been a problem the year before. The issue is that Gilbert has developed faster than expected, and Cox has also given them useful production after a breakout minor league season carried into his short time with the big club.
There’s a version of this story where Gilbert’s leap happened a year earlier, and the Giants never had to make the Bader move at all. But baseball rarely hands out the clean version.
In Other News...
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San Francisco finished its three-game set against Atlanta and came away with a 5-1 edge in the season series, a clean marker for a club trying to stack up meaningful results. The bullpen finished the job by holding the Braves scoreless over the final four innings, the latest sign that the Giants are not just getting power from the middle of the order, but also enough relief depth to protect it. [Read more 🡒]
Giants May Regret What They Decided With Jung Hoo Lee
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Lees appeal in San Francisco goes beyond the stat line, since he remains a popular player and his contract made him an easier piece to keep. Still, with the Giants also carrying promising outfield prospects, the decision could look different down the road if those young players force their way into the picture and Lee does not develop into more than a solid regular. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Fans Have Seen This Japan Pitching Story Before
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For San Francisco, the timing makes sense. The rotation and overall staff carry plenty of uncertainty heading into next season, and the club may be looking for more affordable pitching fits under the current collective bargaining agreement landscape and after its recent spending patterns. Giants fans have seen this movie before, with the team linked to Japanese arms in the past only to watch them land elsewhere, so the interest alone is enough to stir familiar curiosity. [Read more 🡒]