By Morris Phillips
The Giants have a refreshed look for the final month of the season with three roster additions now that the team no longer has postseason possibilities in 2022.
The additions won’t showcase the organization’s top prospects, but they give three, intriguing players a chance to help the club win now, particularly if they can provide timely hits and credible defense. The biggest parallel for all three? They all have big league experience and little else to prove in the minors.
Once again, the Giants are practicing pragmatism, while the fan base might want personnel pyrotechnics. But their approach is sound. The new rules institued just before the start of the season allow for two, additional rostered players, not the clubhouse-crowding ten to 15 spots that traditionally bought the number of players in uniform to or near 40. Teams are forced fill specific needs under this format.
If you’re hoping to see Heliot Ramos, Marco Luciano or the fast-rising Vaun Brown–the guys in the San Francisco minor league system that have the biggest buzz–don’t hold your breath. All three probably won’t be heard from until spring training or even next September. Unfortunately, as we found out when the Juan Soto-to-the-Padres deal went down, Giants’ prospects haven’t had a bang up season as several experienced injuries and missed time, and none transformed themselves into MLB-ready breakout stars. The guy that came the closest was 21-year old Kyle Harrison who pitched well enough that there was speculation he could skip AAA Sacramento an earn a promotion to San Francisco.
David Villar and Lewis Brinson, who was acquired Thursday in a trade involving minor leaguers that haven’t made a Major League appearance this season, will join the team for Friday’s series opener against the Phillies. Villar provides his experience gained earlier this season in his first call-up, and gives the 25-year old a reward for his outstanding season at Sacramento. Villar will allow the Giants to spell Evan Longoria at third base, and provide insurance if the 36-year old veteran continues to have issues with his hamstring.
Brinson was acquired from the Astros for cash, and he provides intrigue in that he was a buzzworthy prospect a few years back as the main piece coming back in the trade that sent Christian Yelich to the Brewers from the Marlins. Currently, the 28-year old hasn’t panned out with heavy strikeouts numbers being his biggest impediment, but he had 45 extra-base hits in 85 games at AAA Sugar Land. Brunson provides another center field option for a club that only has Mike Yastrzemski with Austin Slater’s status uncertain due to the dislocated finger he suffered earlier this week.
Andrew Knapp got a promotion with fellow catcher Joey Bart landing on the 7-day concussion list. Knapp and Austin Wynns will be the team’s two catchers until Bart returns, although there’s a possibility that when he does return the Giants will retain all three for the final month. Knapp played collegiately at Cal and grew up in Sacramento. He wasn’t hesitant to express his excitement with the move.
“To end up back on the team that I grew up watching, it’s pretty awesome,” said Knapp, who has played 322 Major League games in five seasons with the Phillies, Pirates and Mariners.
Again, this isn’t a youth movement. Villar is 25, Brinson is 28, and Knapp, 30. The hope is Farhan Zaidi’s roster moves make the Giants better–even if it’s incrementally. The other prong in Zaidi’s equation is landing a splashy acquisition (like Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge) at some point next season.
On Friday, Alex Cobb will take the mound for the Giants with Kyle Gibson getting the start for the Phillies at 7:15pm.
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