Newest SF Giants outfielder draws comparison to former Giants legend

The SF Giants have made some roster moves recently and one of them was acquiring outfielder Joey Wiemer in a trade with the Miami Marlins. Wiemer recently drew a comparison to Giants legend Hunter Pence.

On the Splash Hit Territory podcast, former Giant F.P. Santangelo shared that he reached out to Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster Vinny Rottino to ask him about Wiemer and he said Wiemer is, "Just a hair-on-fire, Eric Byrnes–kind of Hunter Pence–type of guy.”

Newest SF giants outfielder Joey Wiemer draws comparison to Hunter Pence

Maybe part of this comparison has to do with Wiemer's long blonde hair that readily brings to mind the locks that Eric Byrnes had as a player, but if Wiemer can help bring some of the intensity and energy that Pence, who is currently on the Hall of Fame ballot, brought to the table then that would be a big positive.

Wiemer is not the hitter than Pence or Byrnes were in their respective careers, but he does have a little pop in his bat particularly against left-handed pitching. He hit 13 home runs in his rookie season with Milwaukee although his .204/.283/.362 slash line certainly left a bit to be desired.

Where Wiemer really could make a difference is with his defense and speed. The Giants struggled defensively in the outfield last season as both Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos were below average defensively.

The addition of Drew Gilbert improved the team's defense, but the addition of Wiemer and Justin Dean signals that the Giants are well aware they can get better in that department.

These additions also suggest that other outfielders in the organization may be in trouble as they try to get a roster spot next spring. Luis Matos and Marco Luciano come to mind as two guys who have struggled defensively who may have a hard time trying to win a roster spot over Wiemer and Dean.

If both Wiemer and Gilbert make the roster, the Giants may have a lot of energy in the outfield next season. Gilbert made a name for himself by acting insane in the dugout in 2026 so if Wiemer is cut from that same cloth, do not be surprised if they greet each other with a throat grab rather than a hand shake.

Pence is and always will be a legend in San Francisco, so any time a player gets compared to him that is high praise so let's hope Wiemer does bring a little bit of Pence's energy.