SF Giants recall OF Heliot Ramos, place OF A.J. Pollock on injured list

The SF Giants recalled former first-round pick and top prospect Heliot Ramos from Triple-A after placing A.J. Pollock on the 10-day injured list.

The SF Giants placed veteran outfielder A.J. Pollock on the 10-day injured list with a left oblique strain on Wednesday. With an open spot on the active roster, the Giants recalled outfielder Heliot Ramos (Giants Top 30 Prospect) from Triple-A. Pollock left Tuesday night's 7-5 loss to the Los Angeles Angels after feeling tightness in his oblique.

SF Giants OF Heliot Ramos poses for a portrait during photo day. (2023) / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Ramos, the Giants' 2017 first-round pick, has seen his prospect stock fall over the past few seasons. However, he is in the middle of his most productive minor-league campaign since at least 2019. On the season, Ramos is hitting .303/.359/.543 with 12 doubles and 10 home runs in 50 games. Granted, the bulk of his production came in one scorching hot week.

Ramos' overall overshadows a true tale of two seasons. Ramos continued to struggle against upper-level pitching early this season, including at Triple-A. He hit just .192/.222/.269 with a pair of doubles, a walk, and eight strikeouts in 27 plate appearances in the majors, although he was showing signs that he was on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Then, he landed on the injured list.

After a prolonged hiatus, Ramos began a rehab assignment at Single-A San Jose and began elevating the ball more effectively than he ever has as a pro. Since returning to Triple-A, Ramos has posted a .330/.377/.650 line with seven doubles, three triples, and six home runs in 28 games (106 plate appearances). Ramos's strikeout (27.4%) and walk (6.6%) rates have both gone in the wrong direction, but that's not necessarily a sign of regression. Swings with a greater focus on loft tend to come with an increase in whiffs, and higher walk rates can come from an overly passive approach at the plate.

It's also worth pointing out that Ramos has hit .291/.337/.696 with seven doubles, two triples, and seven home runs in 86 plate appearances against southpaws across all levels this season, including his limited sample in the majors.

The Giants acquired Pollock from the Seattle Mariners in the team's lone deal at the trade deadline. A former All-Star, Pollock is hopeful he can bounce back from the worst slump of his career in San Francisco, but heading to the injured list for the second time this season, it's hard to know if he will receive much more of an opportunity to prove himself. Pollock has only appeared in five games with the Giants, but on the season, he is hitting .165/.215/.308 with five home runs in 144 plate appearances.

The SF Giants are looking for an offensive spark, particularly against left-handed pitching. While right-handed hitting A.J. Pollock heads to the injured list, young Heliot Ramos will look to continue elevating the ball in the majors and play his way into a prolonged big-league stay.