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Giants' Lee Jung-hoo stays hot in spring training with RBI in 4-1 win over Angels

Published: 26 Feb. 2026, 14:58 Updated: 26 Feb. 2026, 19:21

San Francisco Giants center fielder Lee Jung-hoo runs to first in the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Athletics at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Feb. 23. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

San Francisco Giants outfielder Lee Jung-hoo continued his strong start to spring training on Wednesday, extending his hitting streak to three games and driving in his first run of the preseason schedule in a 4-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Lee, 27, started in center field and hit leadoff against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. He went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

After opening his previous two games in right field, Lee returned to his primary position in center. Through three spring games, he has gone 3-for-9 with a .333 batting average, 1 RBI and 3 runs scored.

Lee flied out to center in the first inning. In the second, with two outs and runners on first and third in a scoreless game, he lined a single to left to bring home the runner from third. He grounded out to shortstop in the fifth and left the game before the bottom of the sixth.

The upcoming 2026 season marks Lee's third in the MLB after joining the Giants in 2024 on a six-year contract worth $113 million.

His debut season only saw him play 37 games due to injuries, while he recorded a .266 batting average last season, which was considered short of expectations.

The team has not yet decided where he will play in the field or where he will hit in the lineup. The Giants signed center fielder Harrison Bader, the 2021 Gold Glove winner, during the offseason, a move that could move Lee to right field.

San Francisco Giants center fielder Lee Jung-hoo fouls off a bunt attempt during the second inning of a spring training baseball game against the Athletics in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Feb. 23. [AP/YONHAP]

The coaching staff has also tested Lee's place in the lineup, starting him sixth, fourth and first across three spring games.

The Athletic reported on Saturday that having Lee and second baseman Luis Arraez could "open opportunities for the Giants’ offense to get creative, aggressive and multifaceted."

Lee’s performance also matters for Korea’s national team ahead of the World Baseball Classic. He serves as a central figure in the lineup and outfield and is expected to take on a leadership role.

Elsewhere, infielder Song Sung-mun, who joined the San Diego Padres and is preparing for his MLB debut, started at third base and batted cleanup in a 6-5 loss against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

He went 0-for-2 with one walk. After making his spring debut as a pinch hitter the previous day, he made his first start and reached base for the first time in the preseason.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SONG JI-HOON [[email protected]]