San Francisco Giants' Revolving Door in Left Field Ties Longstanding MLB Record

The last time the San Francisco Giants had the same left fielder start on Opening Day in back-to-back seasons was Barry Bonds in 2006 and 2007, tying an MLB record with the 19-year streak.

Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos (17) catches a fly out hit by Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (not pictured) in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

For over a decade, the San Francisco Giants had a legendary slugger cemented in left field.

Barry Bonds started 12 consecutive Opening Days at the position from 1993 to 2004, then two more in 2006 and 2007 before calling it quits. Unsurprisingly, the Giants have yet to find an heir apparent to MLB's all-time home run leader.

In fact, the club hasn't even landed on a left fielder who has called San Francisco home for a fraction of Bonds' tenure.

Dave Roberts, Fred Lewis, Mark DeRosa, Pat Burrell, Aubrey Huff, Andrés Torres, Michael Morse, Nori Aoki, Ángel Pagán, Jarrett Parker, Hunter Pence, Connor Joe, Alex Dickerson, Alex Slater, Joc Pederson, Blake Sabol and Michael Conforto have each served as the Giants' Opening Day left fielder over the past 18 years without a single one of them repeating. And with last year's starter, Conforto, now on the Los Angeles Dodgers, the streak is set to continue in 2025.

As noted by MLB.com's Sarah Langs, the Giants' streak of 19 consecutive Opening Days with a different starting left fielder will be tied for the longest by any team at any position since at least 1900. The Baltimore Browns-turned-Orioles posted an identical streak with their own revolving door of left fielders from 1937 to 1955.

The San Diego Padres are the only other team to go more than 16 seasons in a row without a repeater at a particular position in their Opening Day lineup. They also had a new starting left fielder every year between 2005 and 2021, before Jurickson Profar started three out of the next four Opening Days.

The Giants LF streak will reach 19 Opening Days on Thu

Most consecutive Opening Days starting a different player (no repeaters) at any particular position, since 1900:

2007-25 Giants LF: 19**
1937-55 Browns/O's LF: 19
2005-21 Padres LF: 17
 
**active streak
 
h/t @EliasSports pic.twitter.com/cK86njUf8S

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) March 25, 2025

Heliot Ramos, who spent nearly half his time in left field last year, is expected to start in left field for the Giants when they open their regular season slate on the Cincinnati Reds this week. The 25-year-old, who was named an All-Star in 2024, is under team control through the 2029 campaign, so he could be the one to break the streak.

First pitch from Great American Ball Park on Thursday is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET.

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