SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants did so much damage in the early innings Wednesday that the Milwaukee Brewers turned to a first baseman to pitch the bottom of the eighth. It was a laugher at Oracle Park, and after playing 13 one-run games over the previous month, manager Bob Melvin took advantage and found a little extra rest for some of his veterans.
His outfield in the ninth was Heliot Ramos, Grant McCray and Luis Matos, a young trio that could join Jung Hoo Lee in future years to soak up most of the outfield at-bats. It’s a collection of talent the Giants are excited about, but they certainly aren’t going to forget about the longest-tenured player in the outfield mix.
Mike Yastrzemski had a homer, double and four RBI before Melvin gave him and Matt Chapman a breather at the end of a 13-2 blowout of the Brewers. That continued a solid second half for Yastrzemski, who has overcome a slow start to get to his usual numbers.
Yastrzemski’s wRC+ of 112 is right in line with his career mark, and he is up to 15 homers after hitting 17 and 15 the previous two seasons. At 1.7 fWAR, he has tied last year’s total with 16 games to go, largely on the strength of Gold Glove-caliber defense in right field and above-average baserunning.
The Giants once again know exactly what they’re going to get from the 34-year-old, which is a relief given where he was earlier this season. Yastrzemski’s OPS dropped under .600 in the middle of May and there were cries to dump both him and Austin Slater, but it has been a steady climb since that low point. He knows that could end up being the difference this offseason.
“After April I was pretty frustrated and just really wanted to battle back and prove my value, because I love this place. I don’t want to go anywhere for as long as I play,” Yastrzemski said. “I love the group here, the staff, the front office has treated me like family and they’re amazing, the fans are incredible and made it feel like home. The goal is to stay here as long as I can and I understand that that’s usually based on performance, so I’m just trying to continue to bring value every day, whether it’s leading in here [in the clubhouse], whether it’s playing the right way, whether it’s running hard and making some plays on defense.
“I want to just show value in every place that I can to try to stick around as long as I can.”
Yastrzemski has one more year of arbitration remaining, and the Giants could have an interesting decision. He’s making $7.9 million this season and should end up around $10 million next season. Given that teams generally view one WAR to be worth right around that mark, Yastrzemski certainly would bring surplus value if he continues to repeat what he has done this season.
There are complications, though. Ramos’ emergence has locked down left field, and Lee will start in center. The Giants could opt to spend their available money on other positions this winter and go young (and cheap) with their final outfield spots. They also could chase a Juan Soto or Teoscar Hernandez or Anthony Santander, which would complete the outfield. The latter plan wouldn’t necessarily mean the end of Yastrzemski’s six-year run in orange and black.
His ability to play all three outfield spots could make him a fourth outfielder if the Giants go big. If they don’t, Yastrzemski figures to be back in right field.
The Giants have a lot of trust in a player who was one of Farhan Zaidi’s first finds, not just on the field, but in the clubhouse. Earlier this week, Yastrzemski was announced as a nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, given to players who best represent the game through character and philanthropic efforts.
There’s one other factor, and it shouldn’t be overlooked. Yastrzemski has a .853 OPS at home this season, a split that has led him to wonder whether he’s trying too hard on the road, where Giants hitters traditionally find much more forgiving environments. Sometimes, their eyes get too wide.
The Giants have learned over and over again that it’s hard to find hitters who will sign up to spend 81 nights at Oracle Park, and there’s a good chance they’ll scour the market this offseason and get that message from the best available outfielders. Yastrzemski fits the ballpark and likes hitting here. That will only help his case as the Giants make a final decision on his final arbitration year.
“This isn’t a place that you love to hit, nor really play the outfield. Not only does he swing the bat well here, he’s as good in right field as anybody,” Melvin said. “I mean, he’s playing his best baseball right now. He’s hitting [first and second] in the lineup and doing a lot of good work. He drove in four more runs today. This is probably the best he has played all year.”
For a veteran who has been around long enough to learn that this is a business first and foremost, the timing couldn’t be better.
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