As most of you are painfully aware, the left field position has been cursed since 2007. Do Giants fans think there is a player in the organization that can break the curse (aka manage to open two seasons in left field)?
Good morning, baseball fans!
Yesterday, we talked a little bit about what we think the rotation will look like for the 2025 San Francisco Giants. Today, I want to touch on another roster topic: the left field curse. Ostensibly, the Giants have had a different player in left field on Opening Day every season since 2008.
Some people refer to this as the “Defense Against the Dark Arts Curse,” as a nod to a similar issue in the Harry Potter book series. More accurately, it’s known as the Barry Bonds curse, as he was the last consistent left fielder the Giants had and the position has been seemingly cursed since his unceremonious departure after the 2007 season.
It’s kind of hilarious that if the curse were a person, it would be old enough to vote this year. Roster change is common, of course, but to not have any repeats in 18 years is quite odd. Though perhaps a little less odd when you think that there have been several seasons where they seemed to like to just stick people in left field for fun/when they didn’t know what else to do with them/ran out of outfielders.
I probably didn’t have to go through and pull the entire list, but I was morbidly curious. So if you like remembering some guys, this list is for you. Here are all of the Opening Day left fielders since 2008:
Michael Conforto – 2024
Blake Sabol – 2023
Jorge Soler – 2022
Austin Slater – 2021
Alex Dickerson – 2020
Connor Joe – 2019
Hunter Pence – 2018
Jarrett Parker – 2017
Angel Pagan – 2016
Nori Aoki – 2015
Mike Morse – 2014
Andres Torres – 2013
Aubrey Huff – 2012
Pat Burrell – 2011
Mark DeRosa – 2010
Fred Lewis – 2009
Dave Roberts – 2008
Now, do I find it awfully suspicious that Dave Roberts was the first person after Barry Bonds? Absolutely. The Giants will once again be unable to break the curse this year because Michael Conforto signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Make of that what you will. (Nothing, make nothing of that.)
Anyway, as I mentioned above, the soonest the Giants could possibly turn this around would be 2026, assuming that this year’s Opening Day left fielder is still playing in left field next season. Which is assuming a whole lot.
Who do you think will break the left field curse?