With the likely implementation of a universal DH in 2020, we’ve been taking a team-by-team trip through the NL and looking at how those clubs could handle the rule change. To this point, we’ve looked at the Dodgers, Reds, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, Braves, Nationals and Brewers. The Giants are up next.
When Hunter Pence bid farewell to the Giants after the 2018 season, there were questions about whether the affable slugger would ever have his name penciled into a big league lineup again. Heading into his age-36 season, he’d posted a combined .249/.297/.368 batting line in 787 plate appearances across the two prior campaigns.
Pence persevered, heading to the Dominican Winter League to work on a revamped swing and ultimately landing a minor league deal with his hometown Rangers. He parlayed that non-guaranteed pact into a prominent role with the Rangers, hitting .297/.358/.552 with 18 dingers in 316 plate appearances before an oblique injury cut his season short. That effort was enough to generate multiple offers, and late in the offseason, Pence signed up for a reunion tour in San Francisco.
The stage seemed set for Pence to hold down a part-time role — an occasional outfielder and frequent pinch-hitter who could serve as a mentor for some younger players as they graduated to the big leagues on a rebuilding club. That could still be the idea, but with the DH likely on its way to the NL, Pence could also be a more prominently used piece now. He started 46 games at designated hitter for Texas last season and surely would have been in that spot more, were it not for the presence of 37-year-old Shin-Soo Choo, who got the DH nod on 62 occasions of his own.
The Giants have other players they can rotate through the DH spot and might look at its addition as a means of getting longer looks at each of Mike Yastrzemski, Alex Dickerson and Jaylin Davis — each of whom is best suited for corner outfield work. Against left-handed opponents in particular, the Giants might favor using the DH spot as a means of getting righties Pence, Davis, Austin Slater and Wilmer Flores into the lineup together. Former first-rounder Chris Shaw logged a combined .294/.360/.559 slash with 28 homers in 492 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A last season. He’d add a lefty stick to the mix.
Let’s also not forget a pair of notable minor league signings made by San Francisco this winter: Pablo Sandoval and Darin Ruf. The Kung Fu Panda has batted .259/.311/.466 with 23 homers and 33 doubles in 548 plate appearances since returning to the Giants in 2018. He’s on the mend from Tommy John surgery but should be ready to go if play is able to resume in 2020. Ruf, 33, is returning stateside after dominating the Korea Baseball Organization with a .313/.404/.564 slash through three seasons with the Samsung Lions (2017-19).
Might the universal DH spur the Giants to finally take the plunge on a signing of Yasiel Puig? The two sides have been connected at numerous points over the past several months, and Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi is quite familiar with Puig after spending five years as the Dodgers’ general manager. Puig could potentially add some life to what was a listless Giants lineup in 2019, ranking in the bottom four of all MLB teams in terms of runs scored, home runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage and wRC+. Of course, he’d also take playing time away from some more controllable pieces.
Even if the Giants don’t add to their current group, a new way to increase Pence’s at-bats while keeping him fresh should help that deal to pay dividends. And if there’s some form of updated trade deadline, the addition of a DH spot for the other 14 other NL clubs would only increase interest in acquiring an affordable veteran who is lauded as one of the game’s great clubhouse personalities. There’s also a scenario, as explored by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman, where ballyhooed catching prospect Joey Bart could make his debut and get some additional work thanks to the forthcoming DH slot in the NL.
The Giants . Lol
Trolls. LOL
The Giants…..Embarrassing.
I don’t know why they keep posting articles about specific NL teams benefiting from the DH?? They all will. Common sense.
Because there isn’t really anything else to talk about.
Yes they all benefit, but how do they benefit. It’s a fun series so far
I live in theNorthBay and support all Bay teams. Your comment applies to the pre-Curry Warriors for about 20 years prior. Sooooooo……btfu with your hate or are you just a bandwagon Chase Warrior Fan?
baseballprospectus.com/news/article/57753/pecota-h…
how many WS has your team won?
27
I guess it must really suck to be a New Yorker.
stop talking bandwagon
facts. when’s the last ws that you played in… and when did you last win one? and when are the yanks gonna finally become an october team?
27? The question was how many your team won, not how many your team bought.
World Series? Huh?…..The Giants weren’t in the World Series Last year. or the year before or the year before that. As a matter of fact they just posted three consecutive losing seasons and are about to book their fourth. A total SheetShow. The Black Eye of the NL West.
World Series?? What are you talking about ?
They’re unwatchable
Nobody is forcing you to watch them. But, you feel the need to watch them…You do know the Dubs were pretty unwatchable for a very long time.
they won 3 WS in 5 years litteraly last decade. if they’re a laughing stock than 2/3 of the league is at least.
Litteraly? We are laughing at your garbage writing style.
Took 4 all stars to beat LeBron.
The warriors aren’t impressive at all.
They needed an injured Kyrie and a Love to win in 2015.
Lost in 2016 to a healthy cavaliers team
Won it all in 2017
And beat a Cavs team that traded Kyrie Irving away in 2018.
Not really an impressive dynasty.
I get it We
Omg, I just don’t understand all the negative piece of s*** losers who feel that they have to spread their non-baseball enjoying comments here.
I will always read the comments here cuz there are always intelligent and interesting people here. Just wish the guys with no lives who don’t truly love baseball would go away…..
I know you won’t respond. You are kind of a one-hit wonder. The Rebecca Black of MLBTR. What do you find so wrong with Giants.
You really think you’re funny don’t you? You always do this. No one laughs
…It always says the same thing. So, why can’t I question it. Am I just supposed to roll over and except whatever he says? What is so wrong with what I asked?
@tward I thought you were referring to me.
no i wasnt. i was referring to rightyspecialist
It seems logical to use Posey full-time as the DH, spelling the kid behind the plate.
He’s more of a defense-first catcher these days though.
Posey? lol Dude can’t hit anymore
Tore up spring training and is supposed to finally be fully healthy, let’s see what he proves this season before claiming that. If you read the article pretty sure pence had two seasons where he didn’t hit and then went and hit .297
Ditto
“lol”
Damn, how’d I miss Wilmer to SFG
David Arthur Kingman out of retirement. jk
Posey DH = Bart Top Prospect as full time catcher
Great, now do an article about all the teams in the NL that get shafted because of the universal DH.
NL teams often get shafted during inter-league and the world series, when they are not built for it. But coming into a season knowing they will have a DH all year long gives them the opportunity to adjust their rosters and plan accordingly, especially with the extra roster spot this season.
SF Giants pitching is so bad…. They’ll get pulverized by a Universal DH rule. Lol
just stop talking rightyspecialist. youre probably a tigers or marlins fan or something and are glad there’s finally an opportunity for you to mess with the Giants. may i remind you of 3 in 5
I thought you weren’t gonna watch baseball anymore with the universe DH, so why does it matter to you.
thats a lot of solid DH options, wow
Wiffle ball.
Lotta articles about how NL team’s offenses will benefit from having a professional hitter bat instead of a professional pitcher. Content’s not creating itself, I guess.
Joey Bart has to make his debut this year. Are they just going to have him sit around for a whole season and not get any live game action?
I agree. Plus, he’s got the talent. I would just bring him up. He needs to start learning as much from posey as possible because there won’t be a whole lot of him left comin up here
-giants fan
I know no games have been played, but I’m starting to like the idea of universal dh. It helps veterans who can’t field, and it takes pressure off of pitchers in terms of getting injured at the dish or on the bases. Also, great for prospects who are trying to make the show
I heard an interesting piece about how defenses can be improved with DH
In The Giants case, they could justify having Hamilton in centerfield even with his weak bat if they have a DH to compensate
So it’s not just for good hit – no field players to get a chance…
it’s also for good field – no hit players to have more opportunities
That’s one of the big plusses I’ve liked from the beginning. People are saying that the MLB just wants this to increase runs and make games more exciting to the casual fan but in reality you can have better defense and keep your pitcher in the game longer instead of taking him down for a pinch hitter.
Nah. Hamilton will be a late inning defensive replacement and/or pinch runner. You go with your top hitting lineup for 3-4 times through the order and then you sub out for defense after that.
Yeah Pence is a bat only player now. He’ll probably miss the steady diet of AL pitching.
They will sign Puig when the moratorium is lifted. I really hate Zaidi.
With a universal DH, we may see a flurry of bat-only veterans who can’t find work getting a look by NL teams.
I really hope not. The giants probably won’t contend so I would rather not have to look at puig.
Anyone can compete in an 80-game season where almost half the league makes the playoffs. Adding Puig and Bart to the lineup gets the Giants near the halfway mark of the league (as long as the bullpen comes together).
I really disagree with you on both statements. 1, puig will never don the orange and black for many reasons, partly because of what happens when he plays at oracle or against sf in general, and 2, zaidi is workin absolute magic. low cost acquisitions are the way he rolls, and we had quite the pen in ‘19. I like him, and I think the giants will have some winning seasons comin up in possibly 5 yrs or less(no more than 7)
I have Pants winning the MVP this year!
lol pants
I’m super excited for the Giants season, even if I hate the DH. In this unique season, it works to our advantage. We have several solid options for DH. Pence of course. But also Darin Ruf, Pablo Sandoval, Alex Dickerson, and … Joey Bart.
If he isn’t in the show, he isn’t playing. And he should be playing. He’s already 23 and will be able to hold his own just fine. Lace up the spikes, kid.
agreed
I just think the dh is a blessing