San Francisco Giants Need To Figure Out Power Discrepancy at Oracle Park

The San Francisco Giants have been the most pleasant surprise in the MLB over the first month of the 2025 regular season.

With a 19-11 record entering play on Wednesday, they had the third most wins in baseball behind the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Giants have the pitching staff, specifically the bullpen, to remain in the mix near the top of the National League.

If that group is given a lead heading into the sixth or seventh inning, good luck mounting a comeback against the likes of Randy Rodriguez, Erik Miller, Tyler Rogers, Hayden Birdsong and Camilo Doval.

Pitching is San Francisco’s strength, but if they want to being a true contender in the league, it will come down to their offensive production.

There have been a few standout performers, such as designated hitter Wilmer Flores, getting off to a historic start with his RBI production. He's been able to knock in as many runs as he has -- 28 RBI through 30 games -- because center fielder Jung Hoo Lee and third baseman Matt Chapman are getting on base consistently in front of him.

Lee is tied for the team lead, along with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, with a .379 on-base percentage. Chapman is third amongst qualified players with a .367, leading the league with 26 walks drawn.

At the top of WAR production thus far is Lee with a 1.7, followed by Chapman at 1.4 and Yastrzemski with a 1.0. Tyler Fitzgerald has also been very good with a 0.9 WAR and a .291/.341/.443 slash line.

Their production has helped keep the team afloat with expected contributors, such as major free agent addition shortstop Willy Adames and first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., both struggling mightily out of the gate.

That, in part, is what has led to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report placing the Giants right in the middle of his power rankings of each team’s starting nine around the league.

San Francisco came in at No. 17; the same tier as the Washington Nationals, who are No. 18, and the San Diego Padres, who are No. 16.

The biggest issue for the Giants to overcome isn’t something they have much control over, but they have to find a way to generate power more consistently when playing at Oracle Park.

As Miller shared, the team is currently averaging 1.3 home runs per game when on the road while that average is more than cut in half with 0.5 home runs when in their own stadium.

The power numbers are all that is missing from San Francisco players enjoying some legitimate home cooking.

Their home and away splits are stark with a .250/.319/.363 slash line at Oracle Park and a .212/.301/.387 slash line everywhere else. Despite having 155 fewer plate appearances thus far at home than away, they have only recorded 11 more hits on the road.

If they can find an uptick in power numbers when playing at home, their offense will remain good enough to compete in the NL.

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