With the San Francisco Giants long out of postseason contention, the team’s young players are getting an extended look for the remainder of the season. One such player is outfielder Jonah Cox.
During a game against the Atlanta Braves, Cox joined elite company, doing something that no player in franchise history has done since Buster Posey in 2014.
Jonah Cox Put His Speed To Good Use for an RBI
Cox, who was batting fourth for the Giants, has a skill set more commonly associated with top-of-the-order players. But during the game, Cox came to the plate in a classic cleanup-hitter RBI spot, with runners on first and third with two outs. Cox found a way to use his skills to drive in a run.
With the right-handed hitting Cox at the plate, Atlanta left the right side of the infield largely open. He took full advantage, not only bunting for an RBI single but bunting the ball to the infield grass before it was finally fielded.
In doing so, Cox joined some elite company.
No Giant Cleanup Hitter Had Done That Since Buster Posey
Given that bunting has become less prevalent in baseball in recent years and that cleanup hitters are often looking to drive the ball to the outfield, it’s perhaps not surprising that the Giants haven’t had an RBI hit like that in a while.
When Cox came up to the plate for his next appearance, the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast showed a graphic noting that no Giants cleanup hitter had delivered an RBI single since Buster Posey did so in a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2014.
Unlike Cox, Posey was never known for his speed, something announcers Dave Flemming and Javier Lopez noted with sarcasm.
“The first Giants cleanup hitter with an RBI bunt single since, of course, Buster,” Flemming joked. “That’s pretty cool. I always thought of Buster as really a huge bunt guy.”
“Expert,” Lopez added.
Cox’s bunt single was significantly smoother than Posey’s in 2014.
While Posey got his bunt down well, he had a hard collision with Arizona’s then first baseman Paul Goldschmidt on the subsequent throw. The collision, remarkably, did not injure either All-Star.
Cox delivered another RBI later in the game in a more conventional style for a cleanup man, hitting a solo home run in the ninth inning to pad the San Francisco lead.
That was Cox’s fourth home run and ninth RBI of the season in 63-at-bats. He’s slashing .286/.318/.556.
San Francisco Giants’ Rookie Jonah Cox Achieves Feat Not Done Since Buster Posey