The San Francisco Giants seem to be one team flying under the radar heading into the 2025 season.
One reason is that they play in one of the toughest divisions in baseball, along with the Dodgers, Padres, and Diamondbacks. Most people expect the Giants to be an afterthought in this division, but they have a team that could make some noise.
Jung Hoo Lee Set for MRI
One intriguing player on the Giants is outfielder Jung Hoo Lee. He came over from Japan last season but has battled injuries early in his MLB career. Lee played 37 games last season and is already battling an injury to begin this year. According to John Shea, Lee is set to undergo an MRI for his mid-back tightness.
Concerning news. Giants center fielder Jung Hoo Lee is going for an MRI today for his mid-back tightness and has a followup appointment with team physician Ken Akizuki.
— John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) March 17, 2025
This is not what the Giants needed 10 days away from Opening Day. Lee is expected to be the Giants’ Opening Day center fielder and middle-of-the-order bat. For those who do not know what to expect from Lee, he was an elite hitter during the first seven years of his professional career in Japan.
In his career, Lee batted .340 and mustered an .898 OPS. Additionally, he boasts a career OBP of .407, which makes sense when considering he walked 383 times while recording just 304 strikeouts in seven seasons. The hope is the back tightness will not hold him out too long.
Giants’ Intriguing Roster
The Giants may not be getting much press, but they have an intriguing roster with upside.
San Francisco’s big offseason signing was former Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames, who inked a seven-year, $182 million contract. He is coming off a season where he batted .251 with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs. Adames will be a welcomed addition to a Giants lineup that lacked firepower last season.
The Giants also welcomed former three-time Cy Young winner and MVP Justin Verlander to their pitching rotation. Even at 42, Verlander is still someone who should be able to contribute. Last season, Verlander was only able to throw 90.1 innings for the Astros, but the hope is the Giants get a healthy version of Verlander in 2025.
San Francisco also returns two All-Stars this season, as outfielder Heliot Ramos and pitcher Logan Webb will look to replicate their impressive 2024 campaigns. For the Giants to get where they hope to go, it may ultimately take multiple players outperforming expectations.