San Francisco Giants Suffer 2 Major Losses in Outfield

This weekend was a brutal one for the San Francisco Giants. While they were able to defeat the Cincinnati Reds in the last two games of their three-game series, it came at a cost as multiple key players were lost to injury.

First, it was outfielder Michael Conforto. He suffered a hamstring injury while playing against the Reds and was placed on the 10-day IL. It is being called a right hamstring strain, which will likely keep him sidelined beyond the 10-day minimum.

Soon after that move was made, the San Francisco Giants lost another outfielder to injury. On Sunday, it was centerfielder Jung Hoo Lee who suffered a left shoulder injury in the series finale. He clammed into the wall in the outfield, chasing down a ball hit by Jeimer Candelario.

As Lee jumped to make a catch, his left arm hit the top of the wall. He was on the ground holding that arm, as he needed assistance from team personnel to get off of the field. Manager Bob Melvin did not provide a positive update on Lee’s status after the game.

“Not great,” manager Bob Melvin said when asked how Lee was doing after the game. Per ESPN, “Melvin described Lee’s shoulder as “separated,” though a Giants spokesperson later clarified the injury as a “dislocated” shoulder. Lee will get an MRI on Monday.”

Without Conforto and Lee, the San Francisco Giants are running out of options for their starting outfield. Conforto has been the team’s best power hitter, leading the squad with seven home runs and a slugging percentage of .490. He is hitting .280 on the season with 20 RBIs.

Lee was one of the biggest free agent signings of the MLB offseason, agreeing to a six-year, $113 million deal. He earned that contract with an impressive seven-season stretch in the KBO League. In 2017, Lee won the Rookie of the Year and he took home five Gold Glove awards and the MVP in 2022.

Conforto and Lee are joining fellow outfielder Austin Slater on the sidelines. Slater has been held out of the lineup after running into the wall Friday night against the Reds and experiencing concussion symptoms.