The San Francisco Giants have had a terrible 2026 season, but it does not have to be all bad.
Since winning 107 games in 2021, the San Francisco Giants have been enveloped in mediocrity, and the 2026 season may be the worst in a stretch of uninspiring years yet.
Currently, the Giants are 42-60, which is the second-worst record in the National League and the third-worst in Major League Baseball. It has been a nightmare campaign for rookie manager Tony Vitello, who traded in his high standing as a college baseball coach for a taste of MLB.
The Giants have talent, but it has not translated to winning. Therefore, they might be one of the biggest sellers by the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline.
With any playoff hopes essentially moot, who should the Giants turn to in the second half of the season?
Lee can lead
The Athletic recently compiled another power rankings list for the 30 MLB teams, and each club received a corresponding player on its roster who needs to play like an All-Star in the second half. The Giants landed at No. 26 on the list, which is a slight jump from their previous ranking of 27.
In The Athletic’s view, right fielder Jung Hoo Lee needs to be that star.
It is acknowledged in the power rankings that the Giants will be looking to sell. But like his teammates Willy Adames and Matt Chapman, Lee might not be an attractive option for contenders because of his current salary.
The 27-year-old is owed $63 million over the next three seasons, and while he may get traded eventually, there is a good chance it won’t happen right now. So, both Lee and the Giants should make the most of the situation in front of them.
The Athletic praised Lee for his productivity and ability to make contact in the batter’s box. If the Giants were a good team, Lee could be more helpful, but they aren’t, so hypotheticals are useless to go by.
Still, Lee has posted career numbers this season. In 94 games and 354 at-bats, he has a .302 batting average, a .335 on-base percentage, a .427 slugging percentage and a .762 OPS.
In each season since making his debut in 2024, Lee has demonstrated improvement. It can be easy for it to get lost in the translation of a bad team, but President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey has some options to work with.
If the Giants ship out several pieces of the roster but retain Lee, perhaps he can become the face of the future. If they want to ship him out, too, at least his stock continues to rise. Either way, Lee and the Giants should finish this season on a high note if possible.
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