Not only did Chris Shaw fail to make the San Francisco Giants Opening Day roster this spring, but he was sent all the way back to Double-A after spending the final month of 2018 in the majors.
That could prove to be the turning point in his career.
Given an extended look as the team’s primary left fielder last September, Shaw hit .184/.274/.278 with just one home runs in 62 plate appearances and a staggering 37.1 percent strikeout rate.
It was clear his approach needed further refinement, and with an abundance of outfielders at the Triple-A level, including offseason additions like Mike Yastrzemski and Mike Gerber, the front office decided to give Shaw a chance to reset.