The San Francisco Giants’ outfield situation is becoming a bit of a revolving door, with Jung Hoo Lee now joining the list of players on the injured list. Lee, who has been dealing with a mid-back strain, is the third Opening Day outfielder to be sidelined, following Harrison Bader’s recent return from a hamstring injury and Heliot Ramos’ ongoing absence due to a Grade 2 quadriceps strain.
The Giants were hopeful that Lee would recover in time for their homestand opener against the Chicago White Sox, but ultimately, it wasn’t in the cards. Manager Tony Vitello noted that while Lee showed some improvement, it wasn’t enough to keep him off the IL. The move is retroactive to May 19, which means Lee could potentially be back in action by May 28, just in time for the Giants’ road trip to Coors Field against the Rockies.
This marks Lee’s first stint on the IL since a shoulder dislocation in 2024 cut his season short. Although Lee has transitioned into a defensive stalwart in right field, the offensive breakout the Giants hoped for hasn’t materialized.
With a batting line of .268/.311/.385 and an OPS+ of 100, Lee’s numbers reflect a league-average performance. Despite being an above-average runner, Lee hasn’t attempted a stolen base this season, a stark contrast to the 10 he swiped last year.
To fill the gap, the Giants have called up outfielder Victor Bericoto from Triple-A Sacramento. Bericoto, 24, might not have been a top prospect, but he’s certainly been making waves.
His performance in spring training, where he hit .419 with three homers, caught the eyes of the coaching staff. This season at Triple-A, he’s continued to impress with a .299 average, a .355 on-base percentage, and six home runs.
Vitello had high praise for Bericoto, highlighting his low-maintenance attitude and natural hitting ability. There’s talk of a potential platoon situation with Bericoto and lefty-hitting Drew Gilbert in right field, while Casey Schmitt could take over in left. This shuffle could open up designated hitter and first base opportunities for top prospect Bryce Eldridge, whose limited playing time has been a point of discussion among Giants’ observers.
As for Ramos, he’s in recovery mode after receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection for his quadriceps. He won’t be engaging in baseball activities for at least a week.
Meanwhile, the Giants are optimistic about the return of their ace, Logan Webb. Webb, dealing with knee bursitis, was set to throw 60 pitches in a rehab start for Sacramento, with hopes of rejoining the rotation next week.
The Giants’ lineup is seeing some changes, but with the depth of talent and a few strategic moves, they’re looking to keep their momentum going despite the setbacks.
