SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — At some point over the last month and change, Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong and Landen Roupp have all seemingly emerged as the favorite to win the fifth spot in the Giants’ rotation.
Harrison entered spring training with incumbent status after throwing 124 1/3 innings last season. Roupp didn’t allow a run in his first three Cactus League starts. And Birdsong has performed the best of them all.
So, who’s it going to be?
The Giants haven’t outright said whether it will be Birdsong or Harrison or Roupp. They likely won’t until next week. But with a little deductive reasoning, the answer to that question, as well as who else makes the roster, can be answered with a degree of confidence.
With five more exhibition games remaining before the start of the regular season, here’s how the Giants’ 2025 Opening Day roster could look:
Catcher: Patrick Bailey
Bailey is fresh off winning the first Gold Glove Award of his career, and thoughts on the automated ball-strike system notwithstanding, he’s having a fine spring. Given his defensive prowess, he’ll hold down this spot for years to come.
First Base: LaMonte Wade Jr.
Wade is noticeably lower in his batting stance compared to last year, the product of him having fully recovered from last year’s hamstring injury. The 31-year-old’s plate discipline is as refined as ever (.422 on-base percentage) and will likely see a healthy amount of plate appearances at leadoff despite Jung Hoo Lee’s return to the fray.
Second Base: Tyler Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald ended last season as the Giants’ starting shortstop but ultimately played five different positions by season’s end (six if pitcher is included). With Willy Adames now in the mix, Fitzgerald’s primary — if not only — responsibility will be mastering second base. His Cactus League debut was delayed due to a lower back issue, but the 27-year-old hit his first home run of the spring on Wednesday against the Royals.
Shortstop: Willy Adames
Adames, who signed a franchise-record $182 million deal this offseason, has been as advertised this spring, owning a .375/.432/.625 slash line with three homers, nine RBIs and two steals in Cactus League play. The 29-year-old is set to captain San Francisco’s infield alongside Matt Chapman for years to come.
Third Base: Matt Chapman
For all his offensive success, Chapman has had an uncharacteristically poor spring defensively, at least regarding solely errors. The five-time Gold Glove Award winner has had two multi-error games this spring, the same number he had all of last season. The miscues, in all likelihood, are likely an aberration that won’t carry into the regular season.
Left Field: Heliot Ramos
Ramos’ Cactus League debut was delayed due to a minor oblique issue, and while the 25-year-old started slowly, he has a .775 OPS with a homer, two steals and five RBIs in 11 Cactus League games. He’ll be the Giants’ 19th different Opening Day left fielder over the last 19 seasons, tying the 1937-55 Browns/Orioles for the longest such run, but Ramos has the best chance of anyone in recent memory to break the streak.
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Center Field: Jung Hoo Lee
Lee’s status for Opening Day isn’t as certain as it was a week ago since the he’s dealing with a back injury, but a recent MRI revealed no structural damage. The 26-year-old could return to the field on Friday following the off day on Thursday, and the Giants will feel most comfortable if Lee is able to play in at least three games before heading to Cincinnati.
Right Field: Mike Yastrzemski
Yastrzemski, the Giants’ longest-tenured position player, is entering his final year in San Francisco before becoming a free agent for the first time in his career. He’ll get the majority of starts in right field, but Luis Matos will likely get the starts against left-handed pitchers.
Designated Hitter: Wilmer Flores
Flores endured the worst season of his career due in large part to a knee injury, but with his legs back under him, the 33-year-old has posted a .847 OPS with two homers and six RBIs this spring. He’ll likely get the starting nod on Opening Day, though it will be worth watching whether he or Jerar Encarnacion receive the bulk of plate appearances at DH as the season goes along.
Bench: Sam Huff, Jerar Encarnacion, Luis Matos, Brett Wisely
With Tom Murphy set to start the season on the injured list, Huff stands to assume the role of backup catcher behind Bailey. Encarnacion has yet to enjoy consistent production in the majors but certainly has the power to provide value with his bat. Matos will likely start for Yastrzemski when there’s a left-handed pitcher on the mound, and Wisely rounds out the bench with a left-handed presence.
Starting Rotation: Logan Webb, Justin Verlander, Robbie Ray, Jordan Hicks, Hayden Birdsong
Kyle Harrison lost 10 to 15 pounds right before spring training and likely won’t be fully built up in time for Opening Day, leaving Birdsong and Landen Roupp as the final two contenders for the final spot in the rotation. Birdsong and Roupp have both pitched well this spring, but Birdsong gets the nod due to a combination of this spring’s performance (0.75 ERA, 18 strikeouts, no walks) and last season’s promise (11.00 strikeouts per nine innings)
Bullpen: Ryan Walker (closer), Tyler Rogers, Camilo Doval, Randy Rodrîguez, Erik Miller (LHP), Sean Hjelle, Lou Trivino, Landen Roupp
While Roupp likely won’t be named the Giants’ fifth starter, he still stands to make the Opening Day roster for a second consecutive season as a reliever — even if it means sacrificing his ability to be stretched out as a starter. Lou Trivino, a non-roster invitee who played under Melvin with the Oakland A’s, has pitched his way onto the Opening Day roster, tossing 7 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts. The Giants, then, will enter the season with just one left-handed reliever after trading Taylor Rogers to the Cincinnati Reds.
