The SF Giants seemingly do not have a plan in right field for the remainder of the year

The SF Giants are in the midst of a nosedive in the standings, so what they do in right field is low on the list of priorities. That said, what is the plan in right field? They have rotated through a couple of options, hoping that one of them puts together a good game or two. That has not happened yet.

The SF Giants seemingly do not have a plan in right field for the remainder of the year

When the Giants shipped veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski to the Kansas City Royals last month, it opened up playing time in right field. He had handled that position well, and while he offered a relatively low ceiling, he generally positively impacted the game.

Yastrzemski became something of a polarizing player among Giants fans. His batting average was low and his slumps were brutal. In the aggregate, he typically reached base at a decent clip and hit with some power. Plus, he was a good defender and baserunner.

The problem was not necessarily Yastrzemski in this debate, but the lack of alternatives. The numbers since the trade deadline highlight that point. Giants right fielders are hitting .120/.120/.280 (2 wRC+) with two home runs, three RBI, three runs in 51 plate appearances this month. Only the Philadelphia Phillies (-18 wRC+) have gotten worse production at that position this month,

Perhaps one criticism that falls squarely on the front office is not having reliable alternatives at the position. They did view Jerar Encarnación as a potential alternative, but he has missed substantial time due to injury. Whether he could even handle the outfield as a backup was also up for debate.

The Giants have not really settled on one option this month, and no one has performed well enough to get consistent at-bats. Grant McCray leads the way with 21 plate appearances, followed by Drew Gilbert with 18 plate appearances. Encarnación had eight plate appearances and both of the home runs in right field. Luis Matos tallied four plate appearances earlier in the month, but he is now at Triple-A. Maybe they just need to stick with one player and hope for the best. That player could be Gilbert, who hit his first home run on Sunday.

The unfortunate detail about this is that the Giants did open up playing time in right field at the trade deadline. They still have six weeks of games that are relatively insignificant at this point, but they could add value if someone proves they can be part of the solution in 2026. They hoped someone would run with the opportunity, but that has just not happened yet.

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