The San Francisco Giants beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-1 at Oracle Park on Tuesday night, a narrow win that carried real weight. The Dodgers came in at 16-6, one of the better records in baseball. San Francisco, sitting at 9-13, needed every break it could find.
They got the win. But the sixth inning left something unresolved. With two outs and rain briefly falling over the park, third base coach Hector Borg waved Jung Hoo Lee home from first on a Heliot Ramos single. The relay throw from second baseman Alex Freeland was on target. Lee was out by several feet, and took a moment to get up before making his way to the dugout.
He did not return to right field.
Lee Opens Up About His Quad After Giants-Dodgers Clash
GettyJung Hoo Lee of the San Francisco Giants.
The concern was visible in real time. Through an interpreter, Lee addressed it directly in the clubhouse: “I banged up my quad in Washington, and just banged it up again today.” He added that he has no worries about it. The Giants play the Dodgers again in less than 24 hours.
Manager Tony Vitello confirmed the decision to pull Lee was precautionary, inserting Jerar Encarnacion into right field for the final innings. The quad issue is not new, which is the part worth paying attention to. Lee has now aggravated the same area twice in a short stretch, both times on close plays at the plate where he was sliding hard.
Vitello Defends the Decision to Send Lee Home
GettyManager Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants.
The baserunning call drew scrutiny immediately. Vitello did not shy away from it. Two outs. A lobbed relay throw. One of the best pitchers in baseball on the mound. In his mind, that combination made the decision straightforward. As he put it: “You got a two out hit against one of the best pitchers on the planet, how many of those are you going to get.”
It did not work out. The logic was sound. Vitello backs his staff on aggressive calls, and this was one of them.
More importantly, he expects Lee on the field Wednesday. That is good news for a Giants team with another Dodgers game less than 24 hours away.
Final Word for the Giants
Lee went 2 for 3 with an RBI before leaving the game, producing at the plate while clearly playing through something. That kind of toughness is easy to appreciate.
Two quad aggravations in a short window is worth monitoring. The Giants cannot absorb a prolonged absence from one of their better outfielders, particularly in a series against Los Angeles with Tyler Mahle and Shohei Ohtani set to face off Wednesday at 6:45 p.m.
Vitello says he will play. Lee says he is fine. Wednesday will answer the rest.
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