San Francisco Giants: Five Predictions for the Upcoming Season

Angel Pagan Doesn’t Finish the Year as a Starter, and Not Because of Injury

For the past few seasons, Angel Pagan‘s hold on his job has been tenuous, mainly because of the always-lingering concern of injuries. Everyone knows about Pagan’s close relationship with the disabled list, as he’s missed 186 games over the past three seasons because of a variety of ailments.

When Pagan has been healthy, he’s always been a sparkplug for the Giants. He showed that ability in 2012 as the leadoff hitter of the World Series-winning club, and during the first and last months in 2015 hitting in different spots throughout the lineup. That will change this year.

Despite it being a contract year, Pagan will struggle. And in a deep lineup, he will stick out like a sore thumb. He won’t look like that Pagan that has been a tremendous force for the Giants, but more like the Pagan in 2015 who was working with a pair of bad knees for a long portion of the year.

With young slugger Mac Williamson waiting in the wings, Pagan’s play will be very replaceable. That 25-year-old outfielder who has crushed baseballs at every level of the minor leagues and in Spring Training this year will be called up and inserted into left field, signaling a changing of the guard in that position. With how good a hitter Williamson has proven himself to be, it will be a pretty easy decision, despite manager Bruce Bochy‘s reluctance to move his veteran.

Williamson already looks to be an outfielder of the future for the Giants. The future comes in 2016, with a power-hitting outfield prospect finally coming up through the Giants’ organization.

Next: On the Move