MILWAUKEE -- Luis Matos earned a spot on the Giants’ Opening Day roster as a fourth outfielder, but it soon became clear that he was miscast as a platoon partner for veteran Mike Yastrzemski.
Matos was tasked with playing sporadically against left-handed pitching, but he wasn’t particularly well-suited for the role since he tends to hit righties better than lefties. The 23-year-old Venezuelan was optioned twice to Triple-A Sacramento as he struggled to adjust to the limited playing time this year, but the Giants finally committed to giving him a long look in right field when they brought him back to the Majors on Thursday.
Matos certainly appears intent on showing the Giants that he’s now here to stay. He continued to swing a hot bat on Sunday, launching a two-run blast in the second inning and scoring the go-ahead run in a 4-3 comeback win that clinched a series victory over the MLB-best Brewers (81-50) at American Family Field.
“He’s getting an opportunity,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s not getting pinch-hit for. He’s playing against lefties, he’s playing against righties. We’ve seen him do this before. I think it was time to get him up here and let him do his thing. So far, so good.”
Matos gave San Francisco an early 2-0 lead by hammering his seventh home run of the year off Milwaukee starter Chad Patrick and then played a key role in the club’s decisive rally in the top of the ninth.
The Giants trailed, 3-2, before Matt Chapman sparked the late comeback with a leadoff double off Brewers closer Trevor Megill. Matos followed with a single to put runners on the corners, but the Giants found themselves down to their last out after pinch-hitter Rafael Devers struck out swinging on a 100.9 mph fastball.
Still, Jung Hoo Lee kept the line moving with a walk that loaded the bases for Heliot Ramos, who drilled another triple-digit fastball from Megill to center field for a two-run single that put San Francisco ahead.
“It feels really reassuring for the team,” Ramos said. “Obviously, I feel like we haven’t been playing good baseball. It was about time that something like that happened because I feel like we’ve been working our [butts] off. We have been working super hard. We have been doing everything we’re supposed to do. I feel like it was about time for us to come out like that.”
With closer Randy Rodríguez unavailable due to right arm soreness, the Giants brought in Ryan Walker to pitch the bottom of the ninth. Walker gave up a two-out single to Sal Frelick, but struck out pinch-hitter Anthony Seigler looking to end the game, drawing groans from the 42,053 fans who packed the stadium to pay tribute to the late Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker, who was honored with a celebration of life on Sunday.
“I didn’t think there was any way that the baseball gods would bestow this on us, but you know, you look at the Giants, they’re built to win,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “They were built to win big. It didn't work out for them yet, but they're playing with some freedom. They're really talented.”
By taking two of three from the Brewers, the Giants (63-68) snapped their stretch of four consecutive series losses and secured a 3-4 road trip through San Diego and Milwaukee. Even so, they remain five games below .500, which will likely keep their focus on auditioning young players like Matos over the final five weeks of the regular season.
“I know that I can play here,” Matos said in Spanish. “That’s what I want to show them.”
Matos batted only .167 with a .559 OPS over his first 40 games for the Giants this season, but he’s been oozing with newfound confidence ever since being recalled last week. He’s collected multiple hits in each of his last four games for San Francisco, showcasing his elite contact skills by going 8-for-15 with five runs, two doubles, a triple, two homers and three RBIs over that span.
It’s probably no coincidence that Matos’ hot stretch came after he got his first chance to start four consecutive games in the big leagues this year. If he can sustain this production, the Giants could have a hard time keeping him out of the lineup in the future.
“I love it,” Ramos said. “I feel like it’s due for him. He’s been working hard. … He’s a guy that doesn’t strike out at all. I just feel like he’s being more patient and not swinging at everything. I feel like he’s taking his time, taking his pitches, making the right decision and being aggressive at the same time. That’s a good combo right there.”