SF Giants may have tipped hand with who they want as their leadoff hitter

Since the SF Giants added three-time batting champion Luis Arráez, the question has shifted to where he would bat in the lineup. On Sunday, Tony Vitello put out a lineup that included many of the regulars, with Arráez leading off.

SF Giants may have tipped hand with who they want as their leadoff hitter

The debate has often centered around whether the Giants would use Arráez or Jung Hoo Lee as their leadoff hitter. There is a case to be made for either one, but if Sunday's lineup is any indication, then
Arráez will get plenty of at-bats hitting atop the lineup.

It is very early in the spring, and it is easy to read between the lines. What Tony Vitello does with the lineup today may be different from the lineup he puts out on Opening Day.

Arráez checks many of the boxes of a traditional leadoff hitter. He is a tough out, puts the ball in play, and reaches base at a solid rate. That said, the left-handed bat does not offer much in terms of speed and has generally graded out as a below-average baserunner.

There is a case to hit Arráez lower in the lineup to give the lineup some variance compared to Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, and Matt Chapman. Arráez is the type of hitter to keep the line moving when there are already runners on base. The Giants employed that strategy well during their championship run.

Butser Posey hopes that Arráez will help the club in terms of hitting with runners in scoring position. He puts the ball in play at a higher rate than any hitter in baseball, and good things can happen from that.

Arráez may not get as many opportunities to hit with runners in scoring position if he is batting leadoff. However, using him in that spot allows the Giants to hit Jung Hoo Lee lower in the lineup. Similar to Arráez, Lee has elite contact skills, but the Giants outfielder also hits with a bit more power.

The Giants may prefer that profile to hit around the middle of the lineup, while still giving the lineup some variance. Tony Vitello may have tipped his hand at who he wants to use as the leadoff hitter, but Giants fans might need to wait until Opening Day to find out.