SCOTTSDALE — The moving boxes showed up in the Giants clubhouse over the weekend, and they surprised some players.
It’s time to pack up and get ready to head home, but some were still caught off guard because there are still so many players in the clubhouse. The Giants have made modest cuts, all in the last week, and just one member of their 40-man roster — Blade Tidwell — has been optioned thus far.
That will change as they prepare to head back to the Bay Area for three exhibition games, and by next Wednesday, they’ll need to select their final 26. With just four days left in Scottsdale, here’s an updated look at where the decisions stand:
The Catchers
This appears to be fully wrapped up. Daniel Susac was the frontrunner coming in because of his Rule 5 status, and he has shown this spring that he has the potential to provide some pop as Patrick Bailey’s backup. Susac is 10-for-32 with a homer and two doubles.
Veteran Eric Haase has had a solid spring, too, and if he’s in Triple-A, the Giants might have their best catching depth in a while. Jesús Rodríguez has moved around all spring and made an impact, batting .353. He needs more seasoning behind the plate, but he certainly has looked like someone who could help the bench this season — perhaps filling the Wilmer Flores role with a bit less power but much more defensive versatility.
Logan Porter was reassigned Monday. Diego Cartaya was sent to minor league camp a few days earlier, and given the depth ahead of him, the former top prospect could start the season in Double-A.
The Infielders
The biggest question the Giants had to answer this spring was what they were going to do with Bryce Eldridge, and many around camp now believe he’ll start back in Triple-A. Eldridge has good at-bats and is light-years ahead of where he was at first base a year ago, but he also has 16 strikeouts in 46 plate appearances.
If the 21-year-old returns to Sacramento, the Giants likely would carry six infielders. Casey Schmitt hasn’t shown any power this spring, but he has a .357 OBP and is playing four different positions. It’ll be fascinating to see if Tony Vitello leans into platoons early and starts Schmitt against Max Fried on Opening Day, or if he sticks with the veteran starter, Luis Arráez.
Multiple members of the new staff have used some variation of “he’s just a ballplayer” to describe Christian Koss. He should provide some needed speed for a roster that still is lacking it.
The Outfielders
Asked recently about which group was the toughest to figure out, Vitello blurted out “the outfield” before the question was even finished. “You might have 10 guys that can play in the big leagues out there,” he added.
Vitello said this is one area where he won’t mind letting the front office make the call, and there are off-field considerations. Both Jerar Encarnación and Luis Matos are out of options.
If Eldridge is sent back to Triple-A, the Giants could keep both, at least initially. If they have to choose one — and given how right-handed their bench will be, they might have to — Encarnación seems to have the edge, at least if you read between the lines during Vitello’s media sessions. He flashed his power last week, blasting a 463-foot homer.
Grant McCray has cooled after a hot start to the spring, and Drew Gilbert continues to rehab shoulder discomfort. Another left-hander, Will Brennan, has had a strong spring and is already on the 40-man roster. Victor Bericoto also has had a very good spring, but he needs some real time in Triple-A.
The wild card is 30-year-old Jared Oliva, who leads the Cactus League with 11 stolen bases in 12 attempts. Last week, Oliva pinch-ran in the ninth inning, then stole second and third before scoring the tying run on a sacrifice fly. Two days later, he came on in the ninth again and immediately stole second. This isn’t a spring thing, either; he was 57 for 63 in Triple-A last season.
The most interesting combination for Opening Day and the initial series against the New York Yankees would be Encarnación’s power and Oliva’s speed. But front offices absolutely hate losing inventory this time of year, and it would be difficult to put the 24-year-old Matos on waivers. The Giants feel strongly that he would get claimed.
The Rotation
With a week to go, this looks like a sneaky-strong group. Logan Webb pitched well at the World Baseball Classic, and Robbie Ray has thrown nine hitless innings over his last two starts. Tyler Mahle hasn’t given up a run in 10 innings this spring.
The talk of camp last week was the 99 mph that popped up on the scoreboard during an Adrian Houser start; even though that almost certainly was just a bad reading from the radar gun, Houser consistently has been sitting at 96 mph, a very positive sign. Landen Roupp has looked like a veteran of 10 years, not someone entering his second season in a rotation.
“I’ve been saying it all spring, the biggest thing is just staying healthy,” Ray said. “I feel like we’re all really talented. I feel like we all complement each other really well … we push each other and I’m excited for this year. If we stay healthy, we should be able to have some fun this year.”
The Bullpen
This was the biggest question mark in January and February, and there’s still not much clarity.
“You know, the waters are still muddy,” Vitello said recently. “If you want to call it that — or, the competition is still high.”
Vitello has not committed to Ryan Walker as his closer, although he really should. The right-hander has had a good spring and seems to have learned a lot from last year’s struggles.
Erik Miller is back and throwing well, and he could slide into the eighth on a regular basis. José Buttó had a very strong WBC and should get an early shot to pitch high-leverage innings.
Spencer Bivens had a rough outing Monday, but his versatility would be helpful early on. Matt Gage seems to be locked in as the second lefty, and J.T. Brubaker was re-signed in November to provide length, something Tristan Beck can do as well. Joey Lucchesi returned last week and immediately pitched in a game, although he might not have enough time to convince the Giants to go with three lefties on Opening Day.
The Giants can very easily get to eight relievers, but it’s a group that currently lacks late-innings experience and also upside.
That could — and should — open the door for Trevor McDonald, who has looked dominant at times this spring.
“He’s one that’s probably been talked about the most when you’re trying to make anything stick against the wall,” Vitello said recently of McDonald. “I think he’s incredibly versatile.”
Keaton Winn’s overall spring numbers don’t stand out, but he was up to 99 mph in two recent outings, with a sharp splitter. He looks like he can help at some point this year.
Some team officials felt this spring that Hayden Birdsong should return to the bullpen, but he’s awaiting a second opinion on his elbow and could miss the entire season. Other young starters like Tidwell and Carson Seymour could take that path, although given the health concerns with the rotation, the front office probably will want to make sure that most of the young pitchers remain stretched out in Triple-A in April.
As Vitello said, these waters are still muddy, and that might remain the case through Opening Day. As 29 other rosters get set next week, this is one area where the Giants could look to add with a late trade or waiver claim.