Are Giants Finally Finding a Spark From Their Rising Superstar?

The San Francisco Giants might have finally found their spark.

May 7, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) celebrates the win against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. | David Banks-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are in a great position to start off the 2025 season, and it comes as somewhat of a surprise, despite the additions they made this offseason. Many believed they would improve, no doubt, but they have not only done that, they have completely turned things around in the span of only a few months. This is largely because of their offensive output for sure, and the pitching has not been bad by any means. One thing that has been overlooked though is the defense.

Having Matt Chapman as a cornerstone defensively is enormous, considering he is one of the best third basemen in the MLB when it comes to producing with the glove. But many other players around the field have stepped up as well, especially in the outfield, where the fielding has been truly outstanding in most cases.

One of the biggest surprises has no doubt been Jung Hoo Lee, both at the plate and in the field, as while his offensive output has been some of the best in the sport, his ability to cover ground in center field and make the necessary plays is something that has helped solidify the team all around.

What Do Jung Hoo Lee's Defensive Metrics Look Like?

When it comes to the metrics and analytics, Jung Hoo Lee has been performing at not only a good level, but a great level to start the 2025 season. Starting with the more common stats, through 310.1 innings in the outfield, he has produced 74 putouts on 77 chances, in addition to three assists with no errors, which lands him a perfect 1.000 fielding rate. He has also turned an MLB leading two double plays from center field, which is rather impressive.

As for the more advanced analytics, according to Baseball Savant, he ranks 77th percentile in outs above average with one, 89th percentile in arm value, 87th percentile in arm strength, and 71st percentile in sprint speed. All of these categories he is well above league average in, and not only that, he is in the top quarter of the league in the vast majority as well.

Looking at his reaction time, burst, and routes taken, he is slightly below average in each compared to the MLB averge, but not to a concerning degree. The fact that this is the case only showcases how truly impressive his speed and arm combo are, as despite taking less than optimal routes with less than optimal jumps, he is making plays on the ball and getting it into the infield at a rapid rate.