Cody Glenn-USA TODAY Sports
Bruce Bochy reiterated he is still standing behind his future Hall of Fame catcher, who’s helped attach three World Series rings to his fingers.
And yet, Posey received Thursday, for the first time this season, a sign of a slip in confidence from the manager.
Posey was dropped to fifth in the lineup for the series-opening matchup with the Padres, the first time all season he hasn’t been penciled in as a top-four hitter. It took 97 games of a .246 batting average with six home runs to make the move.
“Sometimes you change things up a little bit just for a change of scenery,” Bochy said at Oracle Park three days after he passionately defended his then-No. 3 hitter.
Posey, mired in a 2-for-26 slump over his past six games, and Bochy talked about the lineup a night prior.
“‘You think you need to move me, move me,’” Posey said, according to Bochy. “… He doesn’t care. He’s good with anything.”
Posey’s offense has tailed off in his year-32 season, and Bochy alluded to Posey being a bit under the weather recently. Other Giants fixtures have had roles reduced to varying degrees: Joe Panik was released, Brandon Crawford’s playing time had been trimmed a bit prior to his recent hot streak, and Brandon Belt’s lineup spot has dropped. It’s Posey’s turn.
“Still has a knack for getting on base,” Bochy said of Posey, who has a .311 on-base percentage. “Doing some good things. Like I said, these are the guys that we’ll win with, you gotta lean on and stay behind.”
The lineup:
1. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
2. Brandon Belt, 1B
3. Evan Longoria, 3B
4. Alex Dickerson, LF
5. Buster Posey, C
6. Kevin Pillar, CF
7. Brandon Crawford, SS
8. Mauricio Dubon, 2B
9. Dereck Rodriguez, P