Have the Giants Found Their Full-Time DH?

Since the introduction of the Designated Hitter (DH) for the National League, the San Francisco Giants have been one of the most hesitant teams when it comes to committing to one, full-time option. For the most part, instead of locking in one player, they have rotated different bats through the spot.

In the first half of 2024, they experimented with the idea with slugger Jorge Soler as their everyday guy. However, after a few months, they decided they were done and shipped him off to Atlanta to shed his salary.

Giants manager Bob Melvin and President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey have been vocal about their preference to have some flexibility in the DH spot. This would allow them to rotate a few players in and out of the spot rather than committing to a single bat every single day.

However, the Giants might have found their next slugger to force the organization’s hand in terms of pencilling in an everyday DH. Can Jerar Encarnacion break the mold and become the Giants’ DH of the future?

Jerar Encarnacion’s Journey to San Francisco

Encarnacion was completely out of affiliated baseball to start 2024. He began his 2024 playing in the Mexican League with the Guerreros de Oaxaca where he absolutely raked.

In only 26 games, he slashed .366/.439/.989 with 19 home runs and 34 hits. That slugging percentage is extremely impressive, no matter what league it’s in, and made him one of the most dominant hitters in that league.

The Giants quickly took action and signed Encarnacion to a minor league deal in mid-May.

His torrid hitting didn’t stop once he joined the organization in Triple-A Sacramento. He continued his offensive onslaught by posting a .352/.438/.616 slash line with 10 home runs in only 33 games. It was only a matter of time before the Giants called him up to the big leagues.

He finished the season with the big league club, in which he showed glimpses of what he could be. However, he didn’t necessarily replicate the impressive numbers that he displayed in Mexico and Sacramento.

Elite Advanced Metrics

Although he failed to rake at the level he was in other leagues, Encarnacion showed some impressive advanced metrics when it came to his power and swing speed. He was in the top five percent of MLB hitters in max exit velocity, which is a major indication of raw power. His numbers in average exit velocity, hard-hit percentage, and barrel percentage were equally impressive.

Perhaps the most unexpected statistic was his bat speed, which averaged a top-tier 77.0 mph. That number is good enough to have been fifth in the entire league, if held across the entire season. This puts him ahead of elite sluggers like Shohei Ohtani, Yordan Alvarez, Gunnar Henderson, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and even his own teammate Matt Chapman.

His Case for Full-Time DH

The Giants have lacked true senses of power in their lineup for years, and Encarnacion is posting a strong case to take over the role in 2025.

Wilmer Flores, probably the other candidate to lead this position in at-bats, is coming off of a disappointing, injury-riddled season that could lead many to think his career is heading towards the end. Meanwhile, Encarnacion has been raking in the Arizona Cactus League of spring training, showcasing some of his abilities.

Through his first eight games, he’s hitting .360/.360/.640 with a 1.000 OPS, one home run, and nine hits.

It is important to note that spring training stats should be taken with a massive grain of salt. However, the numbers Encarnacion is posting are on par with what he did in both Mexico and Sacramento. This performance makes a compelling argument for Encarnacion to be the starting DH on Opening Day in Cincinnati.

The Final Decision

As the season approaches, Encarnacion appears to be leading the battle for the DH role. If he continues to hit at this type of production, he could provide a much-needed boost in the power department for an organization that has struggled to find consistent, dependable slugging in recent memory.

Whether Bob Melvin ultimately sticks with his preference of a rotating DH or commits to running one player out there everyday remains to be seen. However, if Encarnacion’s elite bat speed, raw power, and hard-hit ability can eventually translate to big league production, the Giants may have found a diamond in the rough, who could be their DH of the future.