Matos continues winning streak with five RBI nights in win over Rockies originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – Farhan Zaidi doesn’t usually give press conferences during the season, but on Friday he knew he needed to get in front of cameras and microphones. Just minutes after the Giants announced that Jung Hoo Lee would have season-ending shoulder surgery, Zaidi sat in the Oracle Park dugout to talk about how disappointing that turn of events was.
For the organization’s president of baseball operations, it was a particularly painful week. Zaidi has built players who control the attacking zone, and in Lee he found a central defender who he felt was worthy of reaching the top in the coming years because of his approach.
When talking about the horrible break for Lee and the Giants, Zaidi noted that coaches recently encouraged the rookie to be more aggressive early in the count as pitchers were taking advantage of his patience. It didn’t take long for Lee to alter his approach slightly, but any further work will now have to wait until 2025.
There haven’t been many reasons for Zaidi to smile recently, but he at least managed to find a silver lining on Friday afternoon. He highlighted that Heliot Ramos and Luis Matos started running, keeping the Giants afloat without so many of their starters.
“It’s been a lot of fun,” he said of watching the young outfielders.
asked about central field in particularZaidi didn’t hesitate.
“Right now,” he said. “It’s Luís’ work.”
Lee is still the best long-term defensive option, but right now, the Giants will rely on Matos, who will likely be cornered for years to come. Regardless of where he plays, he looks like he doesn’t intend to give up his starting position in the outfield.
Matos crowned a 10-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies with a two-run double down the left field line, giving him five RBI on the night and 10 in four games this week. In a sign of how strange this season has been, Matos has already made more runs than Jorge Soler, who was brought in to add thunder to the heart of the lineup. He has already surpassed Lee, who showed tremendous bat-to-ball skills but couldn’t always turn that into raw production.
The 10-run outburst was the Giants’ first since April 13 and just their second of the season. Half of them came from a 22-year-old who seems to have a knack for excelling in big positions.
If he can do it again on Saturday as the Giants seek their first three-game winning streak of the season, Matos will become the first Giant since Evan Longoria in 2021 to run in six consecutive games. Asked if he changes his approach when there is a runner, Matos paused and then nodded.
“I’ve been changing my approach, mainly to make sure I put the ball in play with runners in scoring position,” he said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “And also when there are two strikes.”
After a two-hit RBI double in the fourth, Matos saluted the dugout but grimaced. The Giants were still trailing by a few runs at the time. Thairo Estrada’s blast gave them the lead and Matos had a very different look when he moved back into second place in the eighth.
He had fallen behind 0-2 but hit two fastballs from Anthony Molina before making a changeup inches above the outstretched glove of third baseman Ryan McMahon. The ball was hit at just 68 mph, but Matos was rewarded for simply putting a two-strike pitch into play. Many times this season, the Giants have gone down looking or swinging in similar situations.
Matos greeted the bench again and this time he smiled broadly. He later said he was happy the Giants were on their way to victory. It was largely because of the young outfielder taking this opportunity and making the most of it.
“It seems like he’s one of those guys who loves to run the plate,” manager Bob Melvin said. “You know, there are times when you have to drop the zone and he can get a little aggressive, but it’s working for him right now. It’s not just fastballs, he’s hitting some breaking balls as well. It was a really good night and it seems like since he got here he’s really embraced the guys at the base – and that’s been a problem for us.”
