Projecting the San Francisco Giants Opening Day Starting Lineup

Based on the pitching matchup and based on other factors gleaned during spring training, here is a prediction of the Giants’ opening day starting lineup and batting order for Wednesday:

2B Luis Arráez (L)

SS Willy Adames

1B Rafael Devers (L)

3B Matt Chapman

LF Heliot Ramos

RF Jung Hoo Lee (L)

CF Harrison Bader

C Patrick Bailey (S)

DH Casey Schmitt

One of the big questions is how the Giants want to protect Devers? Vitello needs to craft a lineup that won’t allow Fried to pitch around what should be his best hitter. Putting Adames, who hit 30 home runs last year in front of him is a good start. So is putting Chapman behind him, a player capable of hitting 30 home runs. Devers could bat in the cleanup spot. But would there be enough protection behind him in that case?

Arráez will probably hit leadoff on Wednesday but he’s likely to hit in different places in the order, per Vitello. The Giants are toying with ways to use his contact and on-base to help move runners in the middle of the order instead of just being a true table-setter. His play in the World Baseball Classic was eye-opening.

Ramos gives Chapman good protection, especially in a right-on-left matchup. Lee could hit higher because he has good splits against left-handed pitching but his on base is below. 300. Based on that he should hit lower against left-handers. Even with the lefty-on-lefty matchup, Lee had better numbers last season against left-handers than Bader, Bailey or Schmitt.

San Francisco hasn’t set its opening day roster yet, so it’s possible Schmitt slides out for another player, but the options with experience against left-handers aren’t much better. There is also a question around Bader’s tight hamstring. He hasn’t been ruled out. If he plays, he’ll bat low in the order. If he doesn’t, Lee probably moves to center field and Luis Matos or Jerar Encarnacion takes over in right field.