Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
For the Giants, it’s history over the hot bat.
That’s the decision for Saturday’s lineup in Milwaukee, where Bruce Bochy is sitting Austin Slater — a day after his two-run home run was helpful in the Giants’ 10-7, 10-inning victory — in favor of Mike Yastrzemski in right field.
Yastrzemski, the lefty, is getting the nod against righty Zach Davies with the Giants trying to cram in as many wins before the trade deadline as possible, in hopes of persuading Farhan Zaidi the team should not be torn apart.
As Bochy told reporters at Miller Park, Davies’ splits convinced the team to go lefty over righty; southpaws are slashing .293/.356/.489 against Davies this year, compared with righties’ .264/.310/.385.
On Friday, Slater, a righty, got the nod against righty Chance Anderson, but righties have actually fared better against Anderson this season.
The matchups leave the Giants without their two shiny, new outfield bats in Slater and Alex Dickerson, who was lifted from Friday’s game with a sore back. Slater is 7-for-18 (.389) with three home runs in the six games since his promotion from Triple-A Sacramento.
The full lineup for a crucial game for the streaking, 42-48 Giants, 7-1 in their past eight:
1. Brandon Belt, LF
2. Buster Posey, C
3. Pablo Sandoval, 1B
4. Evan Longoria, 3B
5. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
6. Kevin Pillar, CF
7. Brandon Crawford, SS
8. Joe Panik, 2B
9. Madison Bumgarner, P