Going into Thursday's matinee against the Mets, the Giants have hit just nine home runs, including Austin Slater's first of the year, in August with a team slugging percentage of .311. The answer to San Francisco's power outage in the present and future could currently be in Sacramento.
Chris Shaw returned from the seven-day DL Wednesday after dealing with a back issue and immediately did what he so often does for the River Cats -- hit another home run. With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning against the Fresno Grizzlies, Shaw hit a deep two-run shot over the right-center field wall at Raley Field.
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The home run was Shaw's 23rd on the year, one off his career-high of 24 from last season.
Shaw, ranked as the Giants' No. 4 prospect by both Baseball America and MLB Pipeline, is having a much more complete second half at the plate when healthy. Prior the All-Star Game, Shaw showed off his power with 18 home runs and a .537 slugging percentage, but he also only had a .302 on-base percentage to go with his .259 batting average. The powerful lefty walked 12 times to 98 strikeouts in those 65 games.
In 28 games post All-Star Game, Shaw's power is down but he's finding more ways on base and striking out less. Shaw is batting .274 in the second half with a .342 on-base percentage in part to his eight walks, only four less than before the All-Star Game in 37 fewer games, and 37 strikeouts.
Shaw's blast Wednesday night was his first home run in August after seven in July, but there's never a reason to worry about his power. For the second straight season, Shaw is on pace to lead all players in the Giants' organization in home runs. Brandon Belt leads the big club with 14.
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The Giants have 34 games to go including Thursday. They are 9.5 games back in the NL West and 8.5 back in the wild card standings. One key aspect of their future the Giants need to quickly find out in the present, is if Shaw can play left field at the big league level and if his power plays in AT&T Park.
If so, the Giants could have the cheap, powerful bat in left field they have coveted in the past, for years to come.