A pair of young SF Giants outfielders could get a long look following rash of injuries

SF Giants fans have been eager to see what Heliot Ramos and Luis Matos could do with a long look in 2024. That may come sooner than expected following a rash of injuries in the outfield.

A pair of young SF Giants outfielders could get a long look following rash of injuries

Within the last week, several outfielders have landed on the injured list. Austin Slater and Michael Conforto sustained a concussion and hamstring strain, respectively. Plus, Jung Hoo Lee could be on the shelf for a while after crashing into the wall in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds.

Maria Guardado of MLB.Com reports that the rookie outfielder sustained a dislocated shoulder. No timetable has been set for his return, but a trip to the injured list seems highly likely. Even Jorge Soler went on the injured list recently. Soler had spent the bulk of the time as the team's DH but could have seen time in the outfield if the need arose.

The Giants have exhausted all of the outfield options on their 40-man roster. Wade Meckler has been on the injured list with an undisclosed injury since the start of the year. This paves the way for an outfield alignment that consists of Ramos, Matos, and Mike Yastrzemski.

Outfield depth is wearing thin, but the Giants might have enough coverage to get by. Brett Wisely, Tyler Fitzgerald, Blake Sabol, and Thairo Estrada all have expeirence in the outfield as well. If Lee lands on the injured list, it is possible that they do not need to make a corresponding move to address the outfield. It is not like they have any options at this point.

Giants fans have wanted the club to commit to a youth movement and the spate of injuries is thrusting them into that to some degree. Ramos was off to a scorching start in Triple-A, slashing .296/.388/.565 (131 wRC+) with an 11.9 percent walk rate, 27.6 percent strikeout rate, and a .270 ISO in 134 plate appearances.

It was becoming tough to ignore his numbers or chalk it up as a small sample. The 24-year-old outfielder has been on a tear with Sacramento since the second half of last season. Despite this, he did not get an extended look with the club last year. It was one of the many disappointments from that season.

Ramos is off to a nice start with the Giants, tallying five hits in 16 at-bats since being recalled. Plus, he has made several nice plays in the outfield.

On the other hand, Matos was not nearly as hot as Ramos when he was added back to the roster on Sunday. The 22-year-old outfielder recorded a .663 OPS with three home runs in 143 plate appearances with Sacramento in 2024. That is well bellow-average offensive production in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but Giants do not have any other options.

You want to see a player clamor for a promotion with their performance and that just has not been the case with Matos in 2024. However, he is one year removed from recording a 1.030 OPS in 152 Triple-A appearances. The potential is there.

This could be a key time for both Ramos and Matos. Young players have to be ready when their name is called and this is the time for both players. They may not overtake someone's spot on the roster, but either one could make a case to be in the team's long-term plans by leaving a positive impression now.