The Giants’ outfield has been a work in progress for a while, and Jung Hoo Lee sits right at the center of the conversation again.
Last offseason, San Francisco moved Lee out of center field. In 2026, the change to right field didn’t exactly solve the problem. His glove was serviceable at times, but the numbers didn’t back up a real upgrade, and the Giants have enough evidence now to think about another switch.
That broader outfield picture still looks shaky. As a group, Giants outfielders finished with -12 Outs Above Average and -14 Fielding Run Value, both marks landing in the bottom third of the league.
The one area that showed real progress was center field, where Drew Gilbert and Jonah Cox combined for 5 OAA and 2 Fielding Run Value. That’s not elite, but it is solid work at a premium spot.
The corners remain the issue. San Francisco already took a step there by trading Heliot Ramos to the New York Yankees, and another move may not have to come via trade. It could be as simple as sliding Lee back to the position he was originally signed to play.
The Giants brought in Harrison Bader last offseason, which pushed Lee to right field in hopes of stabilizing the defense. That plan may have already run its course after 30 games.
Lee’s numbers in right field weren’t disastrous, but they weren’t helping, either. He posted -4 OAA and -5 FRV there in 2026, placing near the bottom among right fielders.
The eye test suggested he was mostly fine, but the mistakes and missed opportunities piled up as the season wore on. And right field at Oracle Park is no easy assignment, so the setting likely didn’t do him any favors.
For a team that says it wants to be built around pitching and defense, the results haven’t matched the message. The Giants have enough data now to revisit Lee’s role, especially with his contract situation in mind.
Lee has an opt-out after the 2027 season, and if San Francisco can get better production from him in a different spot, that could influence whether he walks away from the final two years of his six-year, $113 million deal. He’ll be 29 at the end of next season, which only adds to the appeal from his side.
The left-handed bat has become a popular one in San Francisco, but it’s fair to say he has not fully lived up to the expectations attached to that contract. A position change might be one way to help the Giants change that story.
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That is why a reunion has at least enough logic to linger as the Giants turn to the offseason, even with pitching expected to be the priority. Arraez is set to hit free agency, and San Francisco could use another steady bat if it decides the fit is worth revisiting. The bigger question is whether the front office sees enough overlap between need and comfort to keep the conversation going. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Still Have An Outfield Question They Can't Ignore
The Giants outfield picture still has a hole they cant really paper over after the 2026 season, especially when left-handed pitching is involved. San Francisco was one of the leagues weakest offenses in those matchups, and Jung Hoo Lee and Drew Gilbert both struggled badly when the platoon advantage flipped against them, which is why the club has been looking hard at other ways to piece together those innings.
Victor Bericoto is one of the names that keeps coming up because he showed enough against southpaws to suggest there might be something there. He brought some power in a limited look, but the overall profile was uneven and the plate discipline never quite matched the pop, leaving the Giants with a familiar offseason question: whether that production is the start of a solution or just a small sample that cant be trusted in a bigger role. [Read more 🡒]
Heliot Ramos Could Be On The Move Again After Rough Yankees Stint
Heliot Ramos never got much runway after the Yankees picked him up from the Giants at the trade deadline, and now the question around him is whether his stay in New York will be even shorter than expected. The Yankees are out of the playoffs, the front office is facing obvious offseason turnover questions, and Ramos remains one of the more intriguing names on a roster that could look different before spring training.
For San Francisco, the wrinkle is familiar: a player moved once already, still young enough to draw interest, and under team control long enough to matter to other clubs looking for upside. Ramos is 27 and has the kind of contractual situation that can keep him in the rumor mill even after a rough stretch, which means the Giants could wind up hearing from teams again if New York decides to reshape its outfield mix. [Read more 🡒]