Jung Hoo Lee’s superpower has abandoned him as SF Giants offense flounders

Amid the SF Giants' overall struggles to put up runs — just 26 through 10 games, tied for the third-fewest in franchise history — outfielder Jung Hoo Lee has been one of the focal points. As part of the team's "core four" in the lineup alongside Willy Adames, Rafael Devers, and Matt Chapman, the 27-year-old's offensive production has been far from satisfying.

After displaying an impressive ability to make contact and limit strikeouts in his first full big-league season, but failing to reproduce it early on this year, Giants fans are starting to question the franchise’s large financial commitment to the “Grandson of the Wind.”

Lee needs to offer more as SF Giants’ offense remains sloppy

The front office must have seen something in Jung Hoo Lee when it signed him to a six-year, $113 million contract in 2024. After his rookie season was cut short by a season-ending shoulder injury in May 2024, Lee showed both upsides and flaws in his first full season last year. His bat-to-ball ability was evident at times, such as in April of last year, when he hit .324 for the month with a .908 OPS.

Besides, he has always been a solid baserunner and a low-strikeout hitter. In 2025, he ranked in the 95th percentile in strikeout rate at 11.5%, leading the Giants in that category. He finished last season with a .266 batting average — good for second on the team behind only Dominic Smith — collected the second-most hits with 149, trailing only Heliot Ramos’ 159, and stole the second-most bases with 10. His defense, highlighted by a minus-5 Outs Above Average mark last season, was a concern. The main reason was that he was playing out of position. Now with Lee in right field and a solid center fielder in Harrison Bader by his side, the early results are promising, despite one little scare on Sunday night.

It’s been a completely different story on offense 10 games into this young season. He has opened his second full season just 5-for-33 (.152), with four RBIs, no home runs or stolen bases, and eight strikeouts. One of his strengths last year — his ability to limit strikeouts — has already regressed, with his strikeout rate shooting up to 20.5%. Plus, his struggles against lefties have not gone anywhere. Through nine at-bats against southpaws this season, Lee has collected just one hit and drawn one walk. His .182 on-base percentage and .222 slugging percentage when facing lefties are both among the lowest on the team. JHL went 1-for-12 in the series against the New York Mets.

But lately, the offensive struggles for the team as a whole have gone beyond swinging through pitches, with baserunning emerging as an issue as well.

In addition to multiple botched exchanges with his first basemen, Matt Chapman — who is known for being a heady baserunner — attempted to steal second base while down by three runs in the bottom of the ninth against the Mets with Rafael Devers, Heliot Ramos, and Jung Hoo Lee due up next.

It was an unusually poor read from a player who has had trouble settling in so far. Jerar Encarnacion, who was DH-ing for the first time on Sunday night, also showed poor judgment when he was thrown out at second base in the fifth inning of the Giants’ 5-2 loss in the series finale before being called out for batter's interference in the seventh, a call Tony Vitello strongly disagreed with.

The Giants are now the only team in the National League with seven losses, one more than the lowly Colorado Rockies. Ace Logan Webb, fresh off his cleanest and calmest start of the season, offered a message of optimism:

"There is 152 games left in the season. I don't really look at the standings very often but I bet if you look at the standings they'll probably say we're two games out of the wild card spot, so I think before anyone hits the panic button you just got to take a deep breath. We played some good teams, and just go out there tomorrow and try to compete."

Giants fans have already taken plenty of deep breaths just 10 games into the season, and they might start hyperventilating if things don’t start trending upward pretty soon. Hopefully Lee can regain his superpower and start getting some hits as that might just do wonders for the offense as a whole.