SAN FRANCISCO – There have been two major questions facing Bruce Bochy this preseason. Who will be the team’s fifth starter, and how will the team handle the duties at left field.
Bochy answered the latter Thursday night following his team’s 3-0 win over the Athletics.
“You’re looking more at a platoon (in left field) to start with,” Bochy told reporters. “With (Jarrett) Parker, his splits are significant with him and lefties. I know it’s hard to get better at that unless you face them. But with a couple of right-handed bats and options we have here, we’re probably gonna…not going to. We WILL platoon there.”
The battle for the final outfield position started in spring between Jarrett Parker and Mac Williamson, but tightness in Williamson’s quad has sidelined him in recent weeks. The injury opened the door for Chris Marrero to make a late charge at the position. Marrero hit seven home runs in spring ball, and continued his strong play Thursday, doubling as well as crushing a pitch down the left field line that seemed inches foul of a home run.
Jarrett Parker’s struggles against lefties are well documented. Bochy didn’t clarify who would play in left for games the Giants face left-handed starters, but at the moment Marrero seems like the most likely candidate.
When Williamson returns from injury, don’t expect him to slot in as the right-handed bat in left. He does bat from the right side, but historically he’s better against right-handed pitching than he is against lefties.”
“The platoon would not be with (Parker and Williamson),” Bochy clarified. “Whoever started there, the other would go to Triple-A.”