CINCINNATI -- Heliot Ramos laughed earlier this week and nodded. Yes, the young Giants outfielder said, he was well aware that he would be added to the list, but he's hopeful somebody else isn't answering that question next March.
Ramos is in left field as expected at Great American Ball Park, meaning the Giants are starting a different left fielder in their opener for a 19th consecutive season. Perhaps the most incredible part is that they don't have sole possession of the record for changes at one position. The St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles franchise also started 19 different left fielders in 19 years from 1937 to 1955.
The streak started in 2007 with Barry Bonds. Last year, Michael Conforto became No. 18, but he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason. There was never any doubt that Ramos would be the guy this year if healthy, and the plan is for the streak to end with the homegrown All-Star.
Right fielder Mike Yastrzemski is a free agent at the end of the year and there's a chance Ramos moves there next season if there's an option in left that necessitates it, but for now, the Giants view him as their long-term left fielder.
“You can’t forecast the future,” manager Bob Melvin said. “But it looks pretty good for him.”
The rest of the lineup against Cincinnati's Hunter Greene features no surprises. As he talked about all spring, Melvin has Jung Hoo Lee hitting third. Ramos is expected to lead off against left-handed pitchers, with LaMonte Wade Jr. doing it against righties.
Here's the full lineup for the opener:
San Francisco Giants
Happy Opening Day: Wade 1B, Adames SS, Lee CF, Chapman 3B, Ramos LF, Bailey C, Flores DH, Yastrzemski RF, Fitzgerald 2B. Webb RHP
— alexpavlovic.bsky.social (@alexpavlovic.bsky.social) March 27, 2025 at 8:16 AM
This is the first Opening Day start for Ramos, who was in the minors at the beginning of last season. By running out to left, he'll join -- in order -- Bonds, Dave Roberts, Fred Lewis, Mark DeRosa, Pat Burrell, Aubrey Huff, Andres Torres, Michael Morse, Nori Aoki, Angel Pagan, Jarrett Parker, Hunter Pence, Connor Joe, Alex Dickerson, Austin Slater, Joc Pederson, Blake Sabol and Conforto.
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