SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants haven’t been mathematically eliminated from the postseason, but they sent their strongest signal yet that they’re turning the page to next season.
San Francisco, 6.5 games out of a wild card spot and claiming a 0.3% playoff odds, per Fangraphs, recalled top prospects Marco Luciano and Luis Matos on Tuesday. Unless the Giants make a miracle playoff push, each player will have chances to play regularly in September as the Giants run out the clock on the season.
“They’re here for a reason now, so they’re going to get some at-bats,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “But it’s also looking at how things go next year. We’re looking toward next year and what the roster construction’s going to look like then. These are some of our best prospects, and they’re going to get a bit of a look right now.”
In promoting Luciano and Matos — San Francisco’s second and seventh-ranked prospects from their 2023 MLB Pipeline list — the Giants optioned catcher Blake Sabol and infielder Casey Schmitt.
Melvin noted that there’s no asterisk next to the Giants’ name in the standings, so anything is possible. San Francisco could make up ground in the next two weeks against National League playoff contenders Diamondbacks, Brewers and Padres, but they haven’t shown the ability to win consistently. Just recently, they went 4-4 in games against the lowly Athletics, Marlins and White Sox.
So realistically, September will be a an opportunity to get a closer look at young Giants who have been buried in the organizational depth chart.
Luciano, the former top prospect in the farm system, took pregame grounders at second base — where he’s most likely to get consistent playing time. Luciano committed five errors in nine games with the Giants at shortstop, his primary position, and has since been leapfrogged in the pecking order there by Tyler Fitzgerald.
“Fitzy’s doing a nice job at short,” Melvin said. “So that’s where the other spot is. And I think he’s played 20 or 21 (minor league) games at second base. So, middle infield, that’s kind of where he’s been. It’s going to feel a little different for him even though he’s played some games there. But the bat is good, and with consistent at-bats, hopefully he gets on a run offensively and that makes the defense come a little easier for you, too.”
Luciano has appeared in 17 games for the Giants this year, hitting .289 with a .733 OPS. Just 22 years old, Luciano has potential as a power hitter, but finding a position he can stick at is the biggest question with his development.
At second base, Luciano’s path to regular playing time is cleaner than Matos’s. In the outfield, the Giants have Heliot Ramos, Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, Grant McCray, Jerar Encarnacion and Mark Canha as options.
“We have six outfielders now, and at some time, we’re going to have to rotate all these guys in,” Melvin said. “You also have the DH spot, so you could have four in a particular day, but probably a little more of a rotation as far as the outfielders go.”
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In 40 MLB games this season, Matos has struggled at the plate, slashing .217/.238/.333. Plate discipline is something to watch with him, as he has struck out 18 times compared to four walks. Matos has made much better swing decisions in the minors, and the power (14 home runs in 75 games) has followed.
Luciano and Matos join a slew of young players including Kyle Harrison — Tuesday night’s starter against Arizona — Fitzgerald, Encarnacion, McCray, Brett Wisely, Spencer Bivens and Tristan Beck who can use September as a launching pad for next year.
Notable
— Michael Conforto was scratched from Tuesday night’s starting lineup due to side tightness. Encarnacion replaced him as the designated hitter batting sixth.
— Former Giant Darin Ruf officially began his coaching career, joining the University of Nebraska Omaha’s staff as an assistant. The Omaha native played nine MLB seasons, including four with the Giants; as a right-handed slugger, he made key contributions to the Giants’ historic 2021 campaign.
— Harrison is pitching on extra rest for a third straight time, with the team having no game scheduled on Labor Day Monday. The lefty has thrown a career-high 121 2/3 innings, and Melvin said he has responded well to the heavy work load. San Francisco has three off days in September, so there will be opportunities to get players extra rest, and Melvin said they’ll monitor Harrison as the season continues.
— Blake Snell was named National League Pitcher of the Month for his work in August. Snell threw his career first no-hitter in August and posted a 1.64 ERA. He’s the first Giant to win Pitcher of the Month since Kevin Gausman in May of 2021. Snell, the two-time Cy Young winner has been Pitcher of the Month five five times in his career.
