Giants OF Mike Yastrzemski scratched with side tightness

Yastrzemski, who had a slow start to 2023, has been on fire in the last week, hitting .417/.750/1.167 with 10 hits and two home runs. He has undeniably been a critical contributor for the Giants during their four-game win streak. 

But his success hasn't just been on the offensive side; he's been pivotal in the outfield, too. Across all three positions, he's already amassed 0.6 dWAR this early in the season, making the case to be in the lineup regardless of pitching lineup.

Yastrzemski, the grandson of Hall of Fame outfielder Carl Yastrzemski, spent the first six years of his pro career in the minor leagues with the Orioles. However, Yastrzemski reached another level after he was traded to the Giants in 2019. He posted a 1.090 OPS at Triple-A and received his first big-league call-up, establishing himself as an everyday player with a .272/.334/.518 line with 21 home runs in 107 games.

After starring for the team in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Yastrzemski regressed over the next two seasons. As his offensive production has dipped towards league average, there have been growing questions about whether he would remain an everyday player with the Giants.

The SF Giants front office opted to retain Yastrzemski last offseason, agreeing to a one-year, $6.1 million deal to avoid arbitration with the hope that he would return to his 2019-2020 form. So far, that decision has paid off. Hopefully Mike Yastrzemski's side tightness is only a mild issue and he is able to fully recover quickly.