Key San Francisco Giants Outfielder Hopes to Play Sunday, Opening Day

A crucial member of the San Francisco Giants' outfielder suffering from an injury hopes to return to action Sunday.

Mar 1, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Jung Hoo Lee (51) hits against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are looking to return to the MLB playoffs for the first time since 2021 this season, and the status of one of the team's top breakout candidates just got a bit clearer.

According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (paid subscription required), injured outfielder Jung Hoo Lee hopes to play Sunday, clearing the way for him to make the Opening Day roster.

Lee has missed time with a back injury, but a positive update came earlier this week when the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the discomfort in Lee's back was not baseball related.

Lee was one of the top sluggers in the KBO from 2017 to 2023 before he joined the Giants for his rookie season in MLB last year.

In his first campaign in North America, he posted a triple slash line of .262/.310/.331 while battling injuires and missing significant time. While the batting average was in line with expectations, the team hoped for more in terms of getting on base and slugging.

While the results were underwhelming, there was enough going on under the hood to assume Lee would benefit from better luck in 2025.

Last year, he ranked very well according to Statcast data in squared-up percentage, whiff rate and strikeout rate, all suggesting that he is a positive regression candidate with a strong ability to make good contact and lay off tempting pitches outside the zone.

San Francisco added a big bat to the lineup this season in shortstop Willy Adames, and better seasons from Lee and third baseman Matt Chapman could set the team up for a better offensive season.