The San Francisco Giants didn’t just win a hard-fought series over the Yankees this weekend — they made a statement doing it. Powered by rising star Jung Hoo Lee, the Giants took two of three in the Bronx to claim their first-ever series win at Yankee Stadium since interleague play began in 2002. And they did it in a way that felt, frankly, personal.
Lee, who had never set foot in New York before this series, left quite the impression. The 26-year-old outfielder smashed three home runs across the weekend, including a two-homer performance in Sunday’s 5-4 comeback win. One of those blasts flipped the script entirely — a three-run shot off former Giant Carlos Rodón that turned a 3-1 Yankees lead into a 4-3 Giants advantage they wouldn’t relinquish.
“Quite a series for Jung Hoo here at Yankee Stadium,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s pretty remarkable.”
The Giants' social media team didn’t miss the moment either, casually dropping a caption after the series win: “We’ll take the series dub. Thanks for having us, New York.” Subtle? Sure. But the message was clear — the Giants came to town, outslugged the Yankees, and left with both the W and the last word.
The Giants continue to dominate, win the series in New York
It’s a satisfying full-circle moment for a franchise that once publicly chased Aaron Judge in free agency, only to be left empty-handed when he chose to remain in pinstripes. Judge responded by launching a homer six pitches into the Giants’ 2023 season opener — a cosmic gut punch that some fans feared defined where the two clubs stood.
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Fast forward to now, and it’s Lee — the Giants’ own high-profile signing from the KBO — who stole the spotlight. He outplayed Judge on his own turf, finishing the series 4-for-9 with three homers, seven RBIs, and four walks.
“It’s all about giving back to the team,” Lee said. “They supported me through everything last year when I was injured. I just want to contribute.”
That contribution has been massive. Lee is hitting .352 with a 1.130 OPS through 14 games, emerging as a potential star in a Giants lineup loaded with solid veterans. He’s also proving he can hit big-league pitching — even the best of it — without needing much of a learning curve.
“He’s not afraid of the spotlight,” Giants ace Logan Webb said. “He’s super confident. Just cool to see him thrive because he’s such an amazing guy.”
The Giants might not have landed Judge or Shohei Ohtani or Bryce Harper in recent offseasons, but in Lee, they may have found a game-changer all the same. And in taking down the Yankees on their home turf — thanks to Lee’s heroics — San Francisco delivered a timely reminder that sometimes, the stars you need aren’t the ones everyone’s chasing.
The Bronx belonged to Jung Hoo Lee this weekend — and the Giants weren’t shy about letting everyone know it.
