San Francisco Giants: Slater Finally Giving Production from Left Field
The San Francisco Giants continue to flounder around in last place, but Austin Slater is giving some hope with long overdue production from left field.
The San Francisco Giants came into the 2017 season hoping to get some production from their younger players in left field, with the idea that one would take hold of the job that has long been a revolving door. That, much like just about everything else this season, hasn’t gone to plan. But lately, one of those “younger players” has been given an opportunity and has run with it.
Austin Slater, getting his first taste of major league action, has finally given the Giants some much-needed production out of left field. He began as a part-timer, splitting at-bats with another rookie Orlando Calixte, but since the acquisition of reliever Sam Dyson, whose 25-man roster spot came by way of Calixte’s demotion to Triple-A, Slater has played just about everyday out in left field, and made the most of it.
The highlights keep coming for Slater. There was his first career hit in Philadelphia, which scored a run during Ty Blach‘s first career complete game shutout. The first home run, a laser beam off the bat that would have travelled an estimated 461 feet had it not collided with Milwaukee’s center field scoreboard. A three-hit game on June 11th, which included his first double, his first triple, and four runs batted in. A four-hit game in Coors Field on June 15th. The biggest hit so far in his young tenure came on Tuesday.
More from Golden Gate Sports
- Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
- 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
- Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
- 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
- 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve
With the Giants riding a seven-game losing streak and staring an eighth loss in the face, Slater came through. Down 2-0 in the eighth inning, the Giants caught a big-time break when the Braves failed to record a single out on what should have an easy double play ball. With runners on first and second, Slater showed off an opposite field approach he has used quite well since being called up and added some power to it. He lifted Julio Teheran‘s fastball up and over the right field fence, erasing that deficit and, eventually, erasing the long losing streak.
It was an opening of the floodgates. Slater’s shot, the second home run of his short career, started a six-run output, which included a Brandon Belt home run in the ninth. After being shut out through their first 16 innings in Atlanta’s brand new SunTrust Park, the scoring came at just the right time. Slater’s production also came at just the right time.
Left field production had been just about non-existent before Slater came along. Everyone tried to make the position a bit more stable, and all of them failed. Natural outfielders, Chris Marrero and Justin Ruggiano couldn’t put up any kind of numbers to make them stick, and others, like Jarrett Parker, were injured before they had the time. Infielders like Eduardo Nunez, Brandon Belt, and Aaron Hill tried their best, but it just didn’t work out as a long-term solution. Left fielders not named Slater own a .203/.265/.276 slash-line and eight extra-base hits (including three home runs) in 221 at-bats, while striking out 58 times.
Slater has been a stark contrast to the consistent disappointment that happened before him. He’s hitting .340/.397/.509, and has driven in 11 runs (many in big spots during tight games) in just 15 games. And though it’s only been 15 games, it’s hard not to be happy about Slater’s strong start, and excited about his future.
Slater’s only 24 years old, and the Giants might have brought him to the big leagues a bit sooner than they truly wanted, but he was probably going to be in the big leagues at some point this season anyway. The Giants had to add him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. He’s not in over his head by any means, and looks like a polished hitter that has been doing this at the highest level for years.
Next: Giants: Embrace the Rebuild
No matter the timeframe, Slater has taken on the job and done better than anyone could have imagined. And though it hasn’t been enough to cover up for the underperformance of many other positions on the diamond, Slater is doing his best to provide a glimpse of the future. For the first time in a long time, there might be a player sticking in left field for a while.