SF Giants problematic defensive area highlights offseason need

Outfield defense remains an issue for the SF Giants. In fact, that unit has recorded -14 Outs Above Average (OAA) this season, which is the third-worst mark in baseball. Among the many needs they will have to address this offseason, improving outfield defense should be on the list.

SF Giants problematic defensive area highlights offseason need

Only the Baltimore Orioles (-17 OAA) and Cleveland Guardians (-20 OAA) have put up worse numbers in the outfield. For the Giants, this is not a new problem. Since the start of 2022, they have been comfortably in last place with -70 OAA. The Colorado Rockies (-52 OAA) are the next closest team during that time.

For years, the Giants have highlighted pitching and defense as part of their team identity. How do they gain a competitive advantage over other teams? Pitching and defense. That said, it is hard to be a team that believes those areas are part of its identity when it is so deficient in one area on defense.

The issues are across the board for the Giants. Jung Hoo Lee, Mike Yastrzemski, and Luis Matos have all put up -3 OAA apiece. Heliot Ramos is among the worst outfielders with -9 OAA. Regardless of the metric you use, he ranks near the bottom.

To some degree, the 2024 All-Star offsets his below-average defense with offensive production. He is hitting .261/.333/.400 (108 wRC+) with 15 home runs, 53 RBI, and 64 runs in 558 plate appearances. These are solid numbers, but not radically different from the numbers Yastrzemski put up for much of his Giants career.

Of the Giants outfielders, Lee is likely not going anywhere. The 27-year-old outfielder is in the second year of a six-year, $113 million pact. This includes an opt-out after the fourth season.

To improve the defense, the Giants will need to fortify the corners around Lee. Ramos remains one of the few internal options. Luis Matos has put together some good at-bats since returning from Triple-A. However, could the Giants realistically have Ramos and Matos in the corners given the defensive struggles both players have displayed? That seems unlikely.

Plus, with a team that is underperforming like the Giants, they cannot return much of the same roster and expect different results. Some players are ingrained in the lineup. Lee, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Rafael Devers are just some of the names. Barring a dramatic change, all four players will almost certainly be with San Francisco in 2026.

The Giants will need to build around those spots in the lineup. How they do it remains to be seen, but outfield defense has been a problem for years. Perhaps, it has been an issue for the better part of the last decade. That is an area they finally need to prioritize.

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