San Francisco Giants Manager Confident Slugger Will Break Out Of Slump

Despite going through a tough stretch at the plate, San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin is confident that his slugger will break through it soon.

Apr 19, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants designated hitter Jorge Soler / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants enter Tuesday one game below .500 after going 6-4 over their last 10, highlighted by a successful home stretch where they won two out of their three series.

They now hit the road for a pivotal 10-game road stretch starting against the Boston Red Sox.

Much of their recent success has come from the strength of their starting pitching staff, who have stepped up in a major way despite the struggles of Blake Snell before he was placed on the injured list.

But for them to truly contend for a spot in the playoffs, they'll need their offense to get going.

They currently sit 16th in slugging percentage (.383), tied for 20th in homers hit (27), and tied for 21st in runs scored (116).

Much of that has to do with their high-priced offseason addition, Jorge Soler, struggling to start the year.

After signing a three-year, $42 million deal to give the Giants a greater power threat in their lineup, his numbers are down across the board compared to his All-Star season in 2023 when he slashed .250/.341/.512 with 36 home runs and 75 RBI.

Soler is slashing .216/.314/.402 with five homers and eight RBI through 29 games.

While that profile is concerning for a 32-year-old, San Francisco's manager Bob Melvin thinks that the slugger will break out of his slump soon.

"All it takes sometimes is a couple good swings, and that was a really good swing," he said after Soler's most recent home run over the weekend according to Michael Wagaman of NBC Sports Bay Area. "But he's going to have a big say in how we do and the production that we get. He's got a huge track record of driving in runs and hitting balls like he did."

Soler knows that he's been underwhelming to start his Giants tenure, but he's still putting in the work hoping that he turns into the hitter that he's shown to be throughout his career.

"It's been a very difficult start of the season. I haven't been able to find my groove but things like this will help me get my rhythm. I've been working in the cage taking extra batting practice so I can start contributing," he said.

Hopefully the change of scenery that a road trip provides can help him get back on track.

San Francisco certainly needs that if they're going to compete.