San Francisco Giants All-Star Outfielder Could Make Switch to Leadoff Spot

The San Francisco Giants could try experimenting with their batting order.

Sep 28, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos (17) runs toward home to score a run on a fielding error by St. Louis Cardinals infielder Masyn Winn (0) (not pictured) during the first inning at Oracle Park. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants are still figuring some things out during spring training, and finding someone to bat leadoff is one of those areas they're playing with.

The leadoff hitter could change depending on matchups, as it does for most teams. However, one player in contention for that role is Heliot Ramos.

Ramos had a breakout year in 2024. He slashed .269/.322/.469 with 22 home runs, 72 RBI and 128 total hits in 121 games played.

He was able to pickup a lot more playing time thanks to the injury of Jung Hoo Lee, and he took advantage of it and made his first All-Star team last season.

Heading into 2025, Lee is healthy, but he will not be in the leadoff spot.

Manager Bob Melvin has already stated that the South Korean will likely bat third in the order, which leaves the first spot in the batting order open for Ramos to potentially take.

That is exactly where the former first-round pick hit earlier this week.

There was a lefty on the mound, so the Giants decided to give Ramos a chance to hit leadoff.

Per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, Bob Melvin liked the way the All-Star outfielder looked when batting first during Tuesday's game against the Athletics. He went 1-for-3 with a double off starter Jeffrey Springs.

"It's just trying to maximize his at-bats against lefties. We'll see where it goes, but right now I like it," Melvin said per Pavlovic.

The right-handed hitter is dominant against left-handed pitching.

Last season, he hit .370 with an OPS of 1.189, 10 home runs and 40 hits in 108 at-bats against lefties. In fact, Ramos was second behind only Aaron Judge in OPS against left-handed pitchers and led the MLB in slugging percentage in those situations.

Getting him to the plate as many times as possible in those matchups would only benefit the Giants this year.

That is not to say Ramos can't hit righties.

He is working this spring to get a lot better in those righty-on-righty at-bats.

Franchise legend Pat Burrell is one person who has been helping the Dominican outfielder fix his approach against right-handers.

Ramos could just be batting leadoff because San Francisco wants to get him some at-bats as he returns from injury. But he could also be a legitimate choice to do some damage at the top of the order when they face a left-handed starting pitcher.