Mike Yastrzemski Enjoys Watching Replacement’s Surge with Giants

Yaz was grateful for the opportunity to return to his roots and reconnect with old friends. But he also spent time talking about a current Giants outfielder, the one that replaced him in right field — Jung Hoo Lee.

Mike Yastrzemski on Jung Hoo Lee

Yastrzemski has always believed that Lee had the talent to do what he’s doing now.

“He's really turning into the player that I knew he could be and that everyone knew he could be,” Yastrzemski said to reporters, including NBC Sports Bay Area on Friday. “It's really nice to see him have that success because I saw the ups and downs of the last couple of years, and he's worked his tail off. He's worked as hard as anyone, and it's been impressive to see what he's doing this year. I couldn't be happier for him.”

Lee was one of the most sought-after free agents before the 2024 season as the KBO star came to the states and signed with the Giants on a long-term deal.

Francisco could have been in center field as a rookie, but he only played in 37 games before an injury ended his season. Lee's health bounced back in 2025, as played 150 games and he batted .266. But his defense was problematic. The Giants had one of the worst outfield defenses in 2025 and they had to improve it.

In the offseason San Francisco went out and signed Harrison Bader as a free agent and made him the center field starter. An elite defender, Bader would patrol center field, and Lee would move to right field to replace Yastrzemski. Lee would have to learn the quirky dimensions of right field, something Yastrzemski mastered in his time with the Giants.

There’s a reason the Giants want Lee on the field every day — his bat. After 73 games, he’s slashed .327/.360/.471 with five home runs and 30 RBI. He’s having a career-best year in Yastrzemski’s place, something the Giants had hoped for before the season.