Giants' Opening Day lineup oddity has them close to tying record

San Francisco Giants left fielder Michael Conforto (8)

Former longtime New York Mets outfielder Michael Conforto will start in left field for the Giants on Opening Day in their game against the San Diego Padres.

Conforto’s appearance will continue a lengthy streak for San Francisco, starting in 2007 with seven-time MVP Barry Bonds.

Conforto signed a two-year, $36M contract with the Giants in January 2023 and was the team’s Opening Day right fielder on March 30.

Bonds patrolled left field for San Francisco’s first game of the regular season in 14 out of 15 campaigns from 1993 to 2007 before his career concluded.

Coincidentally, the Giants have had remarkable consistency at many other positions in recent decades.

2012 NL MVP Buster Posey was the group’s starting catcher in the opener for nine seasons from 2011-19 and 10 of 11 campaigns through 2021. The streak broke because Posey opted out of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One-time All-Star Brandon Belt had the same nine-year streak at first base that Posey had behind the dish before missing the start of the 2020 campaign and returning as the Opening Day starter in 2021 and 2022.

Former World Series MVP Pablo Sandoval got the nod at third base to start six consecutive openers from 2009-14, but the most impressive streak will end at shortstop on Thursday.

Four-time Gold Glove winner and three-time All-Star Brandon Crawford started 12 straight Opening Days at shortstop for San Francisco from 2012-23 before signing with the St. Louis Cardinals in late February.

Two-time Gold Glover and former Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed will take over Crawford’s starting post.

As one streak ends in the Bay Area, another continues.

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