2024 SF Giants All-Star Heliot Ramos gets off to promising start against key matchups

The SF Giants know that Heliot Ramos can hit for power, as he tallied 22 home runs in his All-Star campaign last season. He added two more long balls over the weekend against the Cincinnati Reds, both of which came against right-handed pitching.

2024 SF Giants All-Star Heliot Ramos gets off to promising start against key matchups

Ramos demonstrated extreme platoon splits last season. In 123 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, he slashed .370/.439/.750 (222 wRC+) with 10 home runs and 23 RBI. He registered a .240/.286/.387 line (88 wRC+) with 12 home runs and 48 RBI in 395 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

The contrast in these matchups is pretty incredible. On one hand, he is one of the best hitters in baseball against left-handed pitching. On the other hand, he is a slightly below-average hitter against righties.

Ramos makes enough contact and hits for just enough power against righties to not be a candidate for a platoon role. Then again, the Giants do not really have the personnel to employ platoons except in a few areas.

The power-hitting outfielder will always be in the lineup against lefties and will see his name in the lineup against right-handed pitching more often than not. Of course, Bob Melvin might give him a day off if they are facing a tough righty on the mound.

All of the noise around Ramos' platoon splits was silenced through the first three games of the year, as he was arguably the team's best hitter. In nine at-bats, he tallied three hits, including two home runs, with four RBI.

The first home run came in a determined at-bat against Hunter Greene on Opening Day. Greene cruised through the game, but hit a speed bump against Ramos in an 11-pitch at-bat that ended with the ball just clearing the right-field fence at the Great American Ballpark. This gave the Giants lineup a much-needed confidence boost.

The next home run came on Sunday while Nick Martinez recorded 13 straight outs to start the game. Ramos came up in the top of the fifth inning and crushed a 96 MPH sinker over the left-field fence. He finished the day with two hits and two RBI in four at-bats in a 6-3 win over the Reds.

Does this mean the platoon splits are a thing of the past for the right-handed bat? Probably not, but he is off to a promising start.