Yastrzemski’s return – Mike Yastrzemski stepped into right field at Truist Park on Tuesday night as a Brave, looking back on his seven years with the Giants—and on the particular challenge he once loved: learning Oracle Park’s right field. Now reunited through ties that stretch from
ATLANTA — Mike Yastrzemski didn’t just remember the Giants as a franchise. He remembered the way right field felt at Oracle Park.
Seven years in San Francisco will do that. The 35-year-old veteran made his Major League debut there in 2019 as a 28-year-old rookie. then grew into a constant presence in the outfield. He became a key piece of the Giants’ franchise-record 107-win team in ‘21. built a collection of personal moments along the way. too—most notably a walk-off splash hit against the Reds last season and a walk-off grand slam against the Brewers in 2022.
Yet when he talked about what he missed, it wasn’t a highlight reel. It was the daily grind of right field.
“Honestly, I know this may sound crazy, but I genuinely miss the challenge of playing right field,” Yastrzemski said. “I really took pride in playing right field out there and having so much fun trying to figure out every little nook and cranny. every bounce off the wall. Figuring out why each flag was blowing in a different direction, even though they’re right next to each other. There were definitely little nuances that I missed a lot.”.
On Tuesday night, he was back in right field—but in different colors. The Braves signed Yastrzemski to a two-year. $23 million deal over the offseason. and it was his first time playing against the Giants since San Francisco traded him to the Royals in exchange for pitching prospect Yunior Marte at last year’s Trade Deadline.
Even nearly a year removed from donning the orange and black, Yastrzemski said the connection hasn’t dulled. He keeps in touch with former teammates, follows the team from afar, and checks in on how the staff is doing.
“The city, the team will always have a place in my heart,” Yastrzemski said. “It was the first place I ever played in the big leagues. I’m always keeping tabs. checking in on how guys are doing. how the staff’s doing. whether it be text. calls. reading up on it. It’s something that I’m probably never going to lose, no matter what.”.
That bond carried over into the atmosphere before Tuesday’s rain-suspended series opener at Truist Park. San Francisco’s presence was everywhere in small ways—because the Braves roster and front office history overlap with the Giants’ recent past.
Yastrzemski isn’t the only San Francisco tie to Atlanta. Super-utility man Mauricio Dubón and first baseman Dominic Smith are also with the Braves. Former San Francisco coaches J.P. Martinez and Antoan Richardson are in Atlanta as well. Pete Putila—who served as the Giants’ general manager under Farhan Zaidi—ended up in a new role with the Braves. and Michael Schwartze. the club’s former director of baseball analytics. landed there too.
Those connections turned the pregame moments into real reunions. Yastrzemski took time to catch up with old friends, including fellow outfielder Jung Hoo Lee.
Lee has taken over as the Giants’ starting right fielder in 2026. Before this season, he played center field before ceding the spot to newcomer Harrison Bader. Lee also reached out to Yastrzemski at the beginning of the year for tips on playing right field at Oracle Park.
And Lee’s growth is showing. Yastrzemski pointed to how Lee has settled in at the spot, highlighted by the “unbelievable catch” he made at the wall to rob Michael Busch and help right-hander Logan Webb get through eight innings against the Cubs on Sunday.
The improvement isn’t only defensive. At the plate, Lee has been having a breakthrough year—he’s batting .331, second in the Majors behind the Marlins’ Otto Lopez, with an .809 OPS over 64 games, including Tuesday’s plate appearance, a sacrifice fly.
“I’m happy for him,” Yastrzemski said. “He’s playing so well right now. I talked to him a little bit at the beginning of the year, and he was kind of struggling a little bit. It was nice to see it paying off for him because he works his tail off.”
The season will bring even more of those full-circle moments soon enough. Yastrzemski will see the Giants again this month as the Braves head to San Francisco for a series at Oracle Park from June 26-28.
For him, it won’t be just another road trip. It will be a return.
“To play there was an honor, honestly,” Yastrzemski said. “It’s such a historic franchise. It’s something I’ll never forget, my kids will never forget, [my wife] Paige will never forget. It’ll be really cool to just have a little bit of memory come back right now. but also when we come out there in a week.”.
Mike Yastrzemski Giants Braves Oracle Park Jung Hoo Lee Mauricio Dubón Dominic Smith Yunior Marte J.P. Martinez Antoan Richardson Pete Putila Michael Schwartze Truist Park June 26-28