Can the SF Giants finally buck the trend of poor outfield defense in 2025?

The SF Giants outfield defense has been the worst in baseball with -59 Outs Above Average (OAA) since the start of 2022. Can they finally reverse that trend this season?

Can the SF Giants finally buck the trend of poor outfield defense in 2025?

There are quite a few reasons for that subpar trend. One of them was having players out of position. In 2022, Joc Pederson spent a lot of time in the outfield, especially left field, where he tallied -11 OAA.

Last year, they had a plan to improve outfield defense but that plan fell flat after Jung Hoo Lee sustained a season-ending shoulder injury. This forced Heliot Ramos to see more time in center field, where he was challenged.

That was not the only issue as both Luis Matos and Michael Conforto graded out poorly as well last season. In total, the Giants' outfield have been the worst in that category for the past three seasons.

The key for them will be to avoid the extreme soft spots as well as stay healthy. The first part speaks more to the lack of serviceable depth they have had in recent years. The metrics with last year's outfield dipped considerably after Lee landed on the injured list.

Adding Grant McCray to the 40-man roster late in 2024 should give the Giants another good defensive option. However, he will need to improve his contact rate to be able to allow his defense to play.

Currently, the Giants' defensive alignment in the outfield consists of Ramos, Lee, and Mike Yastrzemski. While Ramos was not playable in center field, he did so out of need.

In left field, he was quite good as he was worh +4 Defensive Runs (DRS) Saved, +1 OAA, and +1 Fielding Run Value (FRV). All metrics point to him as being an above-average glove in left field and a strong arm to go with it.

Lee did adjust nicely defensively last year after a couple of rough moments in the first couple of weeks. He only appeared in 37 games, so it is tough to put much weight into his metrics. However, he recorded -2 DRS, 0 OAA, and 0 FRV in center field in 2024.

The 26-year-old outfielder has the speed and arm to handle center field at Oracle Park. His routes do need some improvement, but at the very least, he should be a neutral defender in a tough ballpark.

Lastly, Yastrzemski continues to be a solid presence in right field. He registered +5 DRS, -2 OAA, and -2 FRV while being a finalist for the Gold Glove Award in right field in 2024. The veteran outfielder does not have a ton of speed but he makes up for it with efficient routes and a strong arm.

All three outfielders should have above-average arms at their respective positions. Perhaps, none will become Gold Glove-caliber fielders in 2025 but they should still be good assuming full health.

I should add that Ramos could become a Gold Glove candidate if he remains in left field for an entire year. That typically is the weakest outfield position defensively and his numbers in a small sample would project more favorably over the course of a year.

While the Giants outfield has been the worst in baseball in recent years. They should be more fine than terrible in 2025 and that would be a huge step forward.