A Major League slugger for a Minor League slugger.
The San Francisco Giants started the season remarkably healthy, at least from a position player standpoint. That tide, however, is starting to turn. A few days after the team’s catcher duo of Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy was placed on the 10-Day Injured List, the Giants announced that designated hitter Jorge Soler would be joining them on the IL. Taking Soler’s spot on the roster is outfielder Heliot Ramos, a fellow right-handed hitting slugger.
Because Soler hasn’t played in a few days while resting his shoulder, the Giants were able to have the move be retroactive to May 5, meaning he only needs to be out another week.
Soler was one of the big free agent additions for the Giants this year, as they inked the 2021 World Series MVP to a three-year, $42 million deal. But it’s been a slow start to the year for Soler, who has hit a tad below league average, while struggling mightily when batting with runners on base.
Up comes Ramos, who had a breakout 2023 in AAA but never got much of a chance in the Majors. He’s again been hitting well in Sacramento this year, slashing .296/.388/.565, with an organization-leading eight home runs. Much of what has kept Ramos out of the organization’s good graces — namely a lot of strikeouts — remains, but the former first-round pick, who is still just 24, has made improvements at putting the ball in the air and not chasing outside the zone.
The Giants have developed a reputation for not having much faith in Ramos, so it will be interesting to see how he’s used over the next week. My gut reaction is that Wilmer Flores would take the bulk of Soler’s at-bats, with Ramos serving merely as a fifth outfielder. But shortly after announcing the transactions, the Giants put out Wednesday’s lineup and, despite facing a right-handed pitcher, Ramos is getting the start at DH.
Given that the Giants offense is averaging a paltry 3.7 runs per game, you can certainly make the case that trying some new, young players is the smart thing to do.