Giants manager Bob Melvin said the team will "take a hard look" at Encarnacion in the designated hitter spot, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

EDGE Analysis

Melvin added that Encarnacion "impressed us last year" during a 35-game cameo, slashing .248/.277/.425 with five home runs. While Encarnacion had a 28.6 percent strikeout rate and just a 4.2 percent walk rate, he also boasted an absurd 95 mph average exit velocity and 15 percent barrel rate. The 27-year-old can also be used at first base and the corner outfield spots, but his clearest path to playing time is at DH, where his chief competition will be Wilmer Flores (knee).

Encarnacion went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion went yard in the second inning to put the Giants up 2-1. The outfielder has struggled to claim consistently playing time since joining the major-league roster at the start of August. He's hitting .255 (12-for-47) with three homers and 11 RBI over 14 contests in September while filling a part-time role. For the season, Encarnacion has a .257/.288/.448 slash line, five homers, 19 RBI, 13 runs scored and one stolen base over 111 plate appearances.

Encarnacion is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Orioles, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion appeared to have settled into an everyday role after making five consecutive starts, but he'll find himself on the bench Wednesday for the second day in a row. Both of Encarnacion's absences have come against right-handed pitchers, so he may have moved back into the short side of a platoon in the corner outfield or designated hitter with the lefty-hitting Michael Conforto.

Encarnacion is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Baltimore.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion has seen his playing time pick up lately with five straight starts but he will begin Tuesday's series opener against the Orioles on the bench. Michael Conforto will serve as the Giants' designated hitter.

Encarnacion will start in right field and bat cleanup Sunday against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion will pick up a fifth consecutive start and appears to be gaining traction in the Giants' everyday lineup while moving between designated hitter and the corner outfield. He appears to be poaching playing time from Michael Conforto, who has hit the bench for four of those five games, including three matchups with right-handed pitchers. Encarnacion has produced a .752 OPS with four home runs and one stolen base across 90 plate appearances since receiving a promotion from Triple-A Sacramento in early August.

Encarnacion went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI in Wednesday's win over Milwaukee.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion topped off a four-run inning for San Francisco to open the game with a two-run shot off Colin Rea and later added an RBI single in the blowout win. It marked the outfielder's sixth-straight game with at least one hit and his fourth straight with at least one RBI. Over that brief stretch, he's batting .363 (8-for-22) with eight RBI and four runs scored. Encarnacion has also homered in back-to-back games and is now up to four long balls on the campaign.

Encarnacion went 1-for-4 with a three-run homer in Sunday's win over the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion followed up Matt Chapman's two-run homer in the fifth with a three-run blast to put the Giants up 5-0. It was his first extra-base hit since he last homered Aug. 18 and he's now notched at least one base hit in each of his last five games. Still, he's made just four starts since Aug. 31 and doesn't appear to have a path to a larger role unless injuries happen in front of him. For the year, Encarnacion is slashing .257/.293/.429 with three homers, 13 RBI, eight runs, a steal and a 4:23 BB:K in 75 plate appearances.

Encarnacion will start in right field and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the White Sox, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

EDGE Analysis

Earlier this month, Encarnacion appeared to have taken hold of a full-time role while dabbling between designated hitter and the corner outfield, but he looks to have moved into a short-side platoon role following Grant McCray's promotion from Triple-A Sacramento last Wednesday. Each of the right-handed-hitting Encarnacion's last three starts have come against left-handed pitching, while he's been excluded from the lineup in each of the Giants' last four matchups with right-handed pitchers.

Encarnacion went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer in Sunday's win over the Athletics.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion led off the top of the 10th with a two-run blast against Dany Jimenez to give the Giants their first lead of the game and ultimately give them the win. It was his second home run and third game with multiple hits since being called up from Triple-A Sacramento at the beginning of the month. Encarnacion has started in 12-of-16 games since his promotion and is slashing .255/.300/.447 with seven RBI, five runs, a steal and a 3:14 BB:K in 50 plate appearances.

Encarnacion isn't in the Giants' lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta, Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

EDGE Analysis

Encarnacion will get a breather after going 0-for-7 with a strikeout to begin the Giants' four-game series with Atlanta. His absence will open a spot in the lineup for Grant McCray to make his MLB debut in center field while batting ninth.