San Francisco Giants hitters are making a statement in spring training, with both Wander Franco and Heliot Ramos launching impressive home runs against veteran pitcher Justin Verlander. Meanwhile, non-roster invitee Joel Peguero has captivated attention with his triple-digit fastball.
Spring training is a time when pitchers typically dominate hitters, even the best of the best. It takes a few weeks for batters to truly find their groove. Wander Franco set the tone on the first day of full-squad workouts by launching a home run off right-hander Sean Hjelle during live bullpens, and followed that up with two more homers off Logan Webb the next day. On Wednesday afternoon, Heliot Ramos stepped up to the plate in front of a small crowd and showed off his power.
He faced off against Justin Verlander and sent a four-seam fastball soaring over the left-field fence, ricocheting off the light pole and bouncing off the scoreboard. Verlander, instantly knowing the ball was gone, exclaimed a four-letter expletive that began with the letter 'F'. When asked if he felt any satisfaction from homering off a future Hall of Famer, Ramos replied, 'Who wouldn't?' 'He's a great pitcher. He's still got it,' Ramos said. 'He still got it late in his career. He's a Hall of Famer, at the end of the day. He knows what he's doing out there.' The Giants are on the hunt for their first player to hit at least 30 home runs in a single season since Barry Bonds accomplished the feat in 2004, and both Franco and Ramos are considered strong contenders to break the streak. Franco, despite allowing the most impressive — and longest — home run of camp, impressed during his live bullpen session, generating whiffs with both his fastball and breaking balls. Verlander wasn't afraid to engage with his batter either. During his matchup against Franco, he threw a breaking ball down-and-away, which Franco expertly laid off. Verlander then questioned Franco, 'You saw that right away?' While most batters only get four pitches before being asked to leave the box, regardless of the outcome, Verlander allowed Franco to stay in the batter's box for a sixth pitch because the count ran full.Among the non-roster invitees, right-handed reliever Joel Peguero has emerged as an early standout in camp. Peguero, 27, touched 101 mph in his first bullpen session of spring, according to manager Gabe Kapler, and his first live bullpen session turned heads and caused jaws to drop. Peguero was tasked with facing several members of the Giants' starting lineup, including LaMonte Wade Jr., Patrick Bailey, and, yes, Franco. But if Franco had any aspirations of homering for a third straight day, Peguero put an immediate end to those thoughts. 'He was throwing gas,' Franco said with a smile. 'He looked really good. Sinker looked great. The four-seamer at the top of the zone was heavy.' Peguero signed a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015 but has only reached as far as Triple-A, spending time in the minor-league systems of the Rays, Rockies, Nationals, and Tigers. Despite possessing triple-digit heat, the right-hander has never boasted high strikeout totals (8.0 K/9). His high walk totals (3.8 BB/9) haven't helped his cause. The right-hander likely won't make the Opening Day roster, especially given the team would have to designate someone for assignment to clear a roster spot. Despite his long odds, Peguero has certainly made a lasting impression on the team — particularly on the Giants' $182 million dollar man. 'He was throwing so hard. It's just gas,' Franco said. 'Especially this early in camp, it seems like more than what it is, but it's like 102 (mph). It's not like he's throwing 95 and it looks like 102 — he's throwing 102.
SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS SPRING TRAINING WANDER FRANCO HELIOT RAMOS JUSTIN VERLANDER JOEL PEGUERO HOMERUN FASTBALL BASEBALL
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