The Giants' struggles against left-handed pitching continued in a 7-0 loss to the New York Mets on Friday night at Oracle Park.
Facing Joey Lucchesi, who was making his 2023 season debut, the Giants (6-13) mustered just four hits and two walks against the veteran lefty. He struck out nine San Francisco batters in seven innings of work.
The pain didn't stop there for the Giants as Brooks Raley relieved Lucchesi and promptly struck out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth inning.
The Giants entered Friday's game with a combined .211 batting average (44 for 209) against left-handed pitching, and after going 4 for 25 against Lucchesi and Raley, they now are hitting .205 against lefties this season.
"We haven't had success against left-handed pitchers thus far this season, and in contrast, over the last couple years, it's been one of our biggest strengths," Kapler told reporters after the game. "So a problem that we have to solve."
A bit of good news for the Giants is that outfielders Mitch Haniger and Austin Slater are nearing their season debuts after rehabbing injuries. Both are playing at Triple-A Sacramento and could join San Francisco soon.
Kapler acknowledged that Haniger and Slater should drastically change the look of the Giants' lineup once they are activated off the injured list.
"I think it's a pretty big shift in the depth and explosiveness of our lineup against left-handed pitching," Kapler told reporters. "So it's a pretty significant change. Obviously, I could speak to the reasons why but I think those are clear. Austin is one of the better hitters in baseball against lefties and Haniger is arguably our biggest free-agent acquisition, and a guy with a history of sticking right in the middle of a lineup and being a major force there. Once those guys are back for us, it's a pretty deep and powerful lineup."
Haniger played seven innings for the River Cats on Friday night, going 0 for 2 with two hit-by-pitches, with the second one coming with the bases loaded.
In three Triple-A games, Haniger has three hits in nine at-bats with one homer and two RBI.
San Francisco Giants
Slater got the day off Friday in Sacramento, but he has five hits in 15 minor league at-bats with one homer and six RBI.
As Kapler pointed out, Haniger and Slater have tangible MLB success hitting left-handed pitchers.
The 32-year-old Haniger has a .277/.353/.500 slash line against lefties during his six-year MLB career, while Slater is slashing .285/.377/.469 against southpaws. Those numbers will be a welcome sight for Kapler and the Giants.
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The theme will continue Saturday when the Giants face another lefty in David Peterson. If the problem persists, San Francisco might have to expedite the arrivals of Haniger and Slater.