Prepare for trouble and make it double.
#SFGiants pic.twitter.com/11Uzrri43x— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 21, 2019
This is the Kevin Pillar the San Francisco Giants thought they were getting from Toronto when they traded for the outfielder in April.
In the top of the first inning the Giants trotted Conner Menez out to the bump for the first time in his Major League career. The big lefty had a 3.13 ERA and 1.126 WHIP in his combined starts between stints in Double-A and Triple-A this year.
Menez got off to a perfect start when he got Jeff McNeil to ground out to second on the first pitch of the game. He wasn’t as successful with the second batter of the game, as J.D. Davis was able to rope a double to center field.
Davis wasn’t on the bases for long. Pete Alonzo came up to the plate and hit another ball at Pillar in center. Pillar fielded the tricky fly ball to shallow left-center field by making a sliding catch to his left, and in one smooth movement popped up and threw a frozen rope to Zach Green waiting at third base. Green put the tag on Davis and the inning was over. as quick as it started.
After a slow start to the season Pillar has carved out his spot in center field with quality defense and timely hitting. He already has 52 RBI this season in 94 games, only seven shy of his best single-season mark.
