The San Francisco Giants have defied expectations and excelled in the hellish National League West, competing for the top spot. All media outlets in the United States are analyzing April in San Francisco while consistently mentioning Lee Jung-hoo.

Yahoo Sports in the U.S. analyzed the dynamics of the National League West teams during the month following the opening on the 1st (Korean time), highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. The first player mentioned among the current strengths of the San Francisco Giants was Lee Jung-hoo.

San Francisco lost both games in the two-game series against San Diego on the 30th of last month and the 1st of this month. Nevertheless, they continue to engage in the competition for the top spot in the National League West with a record of 19 wins and 12 losses. Despite being evaluated as underdogs compared to the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks, they are putting up a strong fight.

Lee Jung-hoo has been at the center of this. From the start of the season until April, he recorded a batting average of .319 (37 hits in 116 at-bats), with 3 home runs, 18 RBIs, 23 runs scored, 3 stolen bases, and an OPS of .901 across 30 games. Although his performance has slightly declined compared to his previous hot streak, he ranks first on the team in batting average, most hits, and OPS. Additionally, his Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is 1.6 according to Baseball Reference and also 1.6 according to FanGraphs, placing him first on the team. Overcoming the disappointment of being sidelined for the entire season last year due to shoulder surgery, he has been leading the team since the first month of the season. It was impossible to discuss April in San Francisco without mentioning Lee Jung-hoo. The media noted, "The Giants achieved tremendous victories in April, thanks to the combination of an outstanding bullpen and timely hitting. Particularly, 5 of their 9 wins at home were walk-off victories," and then emphasized Lee Jung-hoo's name.

The media claimed, "Center fielder Lee Jung-hoo played an incredible role in elevating both the Giants' offense and defense. This has laid the foundation for him to emerge as a core player alongside Matt Chapman and Willy Adames." By leading the team’s offense and defense, Lee Jung-hoo has injected vitality into the overall strength of San Francisco and it was asserted that he should be treated as a key player in his second year in the major leagues.

The media also emphasized that compared to Lee Jung-hoo's standout performance, the underperformance of other players stands out. They highlighted that if Lee Jung-hoo assumes the role of a "young pillar" for the batting lineup like in April, the overall momentum of the team may decline, urging other hitters to step up.

The media added, "Lee Jung-hoo's great performance is very encouraging and enjoyable to watch. However, at the same time, this is currently the only hopeful start seen in the Giants' lineup this season," stating that "Willy Adames has yet to meet expectations and is struggling to adapt to the Oracle Park environment. Heliot Ramos is lacking home runs, and Matt Chapman is drawing tremendous walks, but his batting average is heading towards a career worst. Wilmer Flores has contributed with 28 RBIs but it's hard to say he's showing explosive batting."

The media stressed that in order for the team to get stronger, consistent offensive strength is necessary, stating, "Both strong batted ball rate (29th) and expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA, 26th) are at the bottom of the league. To demonstrate that this team is competitive, the entire batting lineup must show more sustainable and stable production."

At a moment when Lee Jung-hoo has entered a brief phase of catching his breath, he is still maintaining his pace with a 7-game hitting streak. According to local U.S. standards, the first game of May will be at home against the last-place Colorado Rockies in the West. Colorado is on track to be the worst team in Major League Baseball this year, managing only 5 wins (25 losses) from March to April. Currently, they are on pace for 135 losses. Can Lee Jung-hoo raise his pace once again against Colorado?

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