Giants’ Most Glaring Question at Right Field Before Opening Day

The San Francisco Giants appear to have their outfield configuration set going into opening day.

San Francisco signed Harrison Bader to start in center field. With Heliot Ramos tied to left field, that meant a position change for Jung Hoo Lee. He had to move to right field.

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Bader’s signing was done largely to improve the team’s overall outfield defense, which was one of the worst units in baseball last year. The problem is that Lee was a significant part of that. Moving him out of center field with a Gold Glove-level outfielder like Bader should help. But that doesn’t mean Lee’s transition to right field will be a seamless one.

Questions Around Jung Hoo Lee

San Francisco Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee swings his bat at a baseball. — San Francisco Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Lee’s defense since he joined the Giants as a free agent before the 2024 season has been problematic. In his rookie year, which was cut short by an injury, saw him finish with minus-2 defensive runs saved per Fangraphs. That was in 306.2 innings. That makes the defensive issues that 2025 exposed. He logged 1,275.2 innings in center field last season and finished with minus-18 DRS. It’s not the only measure of quality defense. But he is also minus-6 outs above average as a Major Leaguer.

It’s not clear if the change will agree with him. While in Korea, he played 275 games in right field. But he played most of his games in center field. Notably, his fielding percentage in center field was .992 and was .985 in right field. He showed a drop-off away from his traditional position.

That means moving him to right field is a risk. It’s one the Giants had to take given his work in center field last season. But it’s also one they had to make due to the long-term implications of their commitment to Lee. He signed a six-year, $113 million deal that ties him to the team through 2029. He also has a bat that plays well at Oracle Park.

In two seasons and 187 games he’s slashed .265/.324/.391 with 10 home runs and 63 RBI. He’s not a significant source of power as he’s only hit 10 or more home runs twice in any professional season. But he’s a quality source of on-base and, combined with the on-base percentage of Luis Arraez, San Francisco has a solid 1-2 punch that sets the table for the team’s power hitters, assuming the Giants opt to bat them in the top two spots.

San Francisco is not only committed to Lee as a right fielder but to his ability as a hitter. The Giants better hope the move works for Lee and their outfield defense.