Sept. 12—The auditions for San Francisco’s 2025 outfield position continue Thursday night, when the host Giants will look to win a series over the National League Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.
Outfielders Jerar Encarnacion and Mike Yastrzemski combined for four hits (including two home runs) and seven RBIs as the Giants beat the Brewers 13-2 on Wednesday night.
Milwaukee won 3-2 in the opener of a three-game series on Tuesday. Yastrzemski and outfielder Heliot Ramos combined to give up the Giants two runs, two of their four hits and one of their two RBIs.
In a season that saw Michael Conforto, Jung Hoo Lee and Yastzemski run the outfield from left to right, the Giants (72-74) have used 10 different left fielders, 8 center fielders and 8 right fielders this season. Three players, including top prospects Ramos and Luis Matos, got playing time at all three positions.
Lee, an expensive player from South Korea, is expected to return as the starting center fielder next year after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in May. He was batting .262 at the time and nearly leading the league.
Ramos (20) and Conforto (16) lead Giants outfielders in home runs, while Yastrzemski (15) has been strong with homers the past two games.
Grant McCray, who hit two home runs last week but is considered more of a defensive specialist, was asked about his expectations for the outfield in 2025.
“Me and Zhenghou,” he replied. “I don’t care who the other person is.”
The Giants’ outfielder will face right-hander Frankie Montas (6-10, 4.69 ERA), who is trying to get into the Brewers’ (83-62) playoff plans.
A former member of the Oakland Athletics, Montas faced the Giants three times in his career with no decisions. In those games, he had a 3.24 ERA in 16 2/3 innings.
Montas began the season with the Cincinnati Reds, going 4-8 with a 5.01 ERA in 19 starts. But he turned things around in Milwaukee and went 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA in seven starts.
“(Pitching coach Chris) Hooker has done a great job fixing the mechanical issues,” Montas said of his recent success. “I definitely feel like every time I step on the mound, I feel better and better. I’ve got to keep grinding and keep working.”
The Giants are expected to start rookie right-hander Hayden Birdsong (3-5, 5.19 ERA) in search of a series win. The 23-year-old was originally scheduled to feature in the series opener, but it was postponed by two days due to his recent poor form.
Birdsong has struck out two of his last two outings, allowing seven runs in 6 2/3 innings. That streak began with a 6-0 loss to Milwaukee last month, in which he allowed five runs and four walks in 3 2/3 innings in his only career start against the Brewers hitters.
–Visual-level media
