What has led to rookie backstop's breakout season for the SF Giants in 2026?

Daniel Susac has had an incredible start to his major league career. The rookie SF Giants backstop is simply just taking what the opposing pitcher offers.

The right-handed bat is slashing .333/.384/.424 (132 wRC+) with zero home runs, 11 RBI, and four runs in 74 plate appearances this season. This includes a 6.8 percent walk rate, 23.0 percent strikeout rate, and .091 ISO.

Susac's numbers have benefited from an unsustainably high .440 babip, and plenty of indicators suggest a steep, eventual regression.

Until that happens, Susac has been one of the best hitters on the team. He recorded five hits in his final two starts against the Milwaukee Brewers, and four of those hits came on pitches out over the plate.

SF Giants rookie backstop is taking what the pitcher is giving up

To Susac's credit, he took advantage when the opposing pitcher was trying to get a first-pitch strike. That has been a strength of his in his rookie season. He is not trying to do too much. He just takes what he is given. When hitters get it going, pitch selection is usually one of the keys that drives success.

Oftentimes, low chase rates are the benchmark of good swing decisions. However, good swing decisions can be made within the zone as well.

Susac has seen a middle-middle location (affectionately called meatballs) in 10.8 percent of the pitches he has seen in 2026. He has an 85.7 percent swing rate on those pitches. For comparison, the Giants lead baseball by seeing a meatball in 8.1 percent of pitches they see, but they only have a 72.5 percent swing rate on those pitches. That ranks in the bottom third of baseball.

This is where the Giants could really learn from Susac's approach. Similar to Susac, they are seeing a lot of meatball pitches, but they are not swinging at them nearly enough. Good things happen when hitters swing at good pitches.

Pitchers are still adjusting to Susac. His meatball rate is the fifth highest among hitters who have seen at least 100 pitches this season. Eventually, pitches are going to start throwing more strategically around the zone, and Susac will see fewer get-it-in strikes. For what it is worth, he has taken advantage of it so far, and that has been a big reason for his strong start to his career.

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