PHOENIX — In the hours following the Giants’ 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks on Wednesday night, manager Gabe Kapler sent newcomer Kris Bryant a text message informing the versatile slugger he’d be starting in center field in Thursday’s series finale.
“I reached out to him last night and said, ‘Hey, are you ready and comfortable in center?’ like I always do when doing something new on our side and he was very enthusiastic,” Kapler said. “That provides us with confidence when our players are enthusiastic about opportunities.”
Bryant appeared at seven different positions for the Chicago Cubs this season prior to being dealt to San Francisco on Friday, but spent most of his time at third base and in corner outfield spots. Kapler admitted center field isn’t Bryant’s best defensive position, but the former National League MVP has played in center field 13 times this year and has demonstrated the athleticism to play competent defense in the middle of the diamond.
Bryant’s audition in center field coincides with the return of first baseman Brandon Belt, who was activated from the 10-day injured list Thursday to make his first start in six weeks. With Belt at first and Tommy La Stella starting at third base after returning from a three-month absence on Wednesday, the Giants are inching closer to full strength.
Third baseman Evan Longoria, who has been out since June 6 with a shoulder injury, is beginning a rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday and could be ready to rejoin the Giants as soon as Tuesday when they return home for the start of a two-game set against the Diamondbacks.
The return of several key veteran players is leading to a lineup crunch as a handful of players will be squeezed out of playing time. LaMonte Wade Jr. and Alex Dickerson are two of the left-handed hitters who could lose at-bats when the Giants have a full complement of infielders because Bryant will likely receive everyday at-bats in the outfield, but both are starting on Thursday as Mike Yastrzemski is out of the starting lineup for the third straight day with a tight right hamstring.
Wade has played in 26 games at first base for the Giants this season, but with Belt back in the fold and Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores also capable of playing the position, he’s now expected to see most of his opportunities in the outfield.
“I think LaMonte is aware enough to understand that Brandon is going to be our regular first baseman against right-handed pitching and against some lefties as well,” Kapler said. “So the playing time for LaMonte is more likely to come in the form of at-bats as an outfielder.”
Wade joins Dickerson, Yastrzemski and Steven Duggar as the left-handed hitting outfielders on the Giants’ active roster and it’s likely the Giants’ comfort level with Bryant in center field will dictate how Duggar is used in the coming weeks. There’s no question Duggar is the best defensive outfielder on the Giants’ roster, but he’s hit .188 with a .503 OPS since the beginning of July and could be a candidate to be optioned when the club needs to create roster space to reinstate Kevin Gausman from the paternity list on Sunday.
Utility man Thairo Estrada is another candidate to be sent down to Triple-A Sacramento when the Giants need another roster spot, but Kapler has praised the quality of Estrada’s at-bats in recent days and he’s the primary backup at shortstop to starter Brandon Crawford.
Kapler noted the Giants have discussed using Bryant at shortstop in a pinch while Donovan Solano also made his 2021 debut at the position earlier this week, but the drop-off from a defensive standpoint behind Crawford and Estrada is significant.
If Bryant grows more comfortable in center field, the Giants can use him for the first six or seven innings of a game at the position before shifting him to a corner while bringing in Duggar or right-handed hitting outfielder Austin Slater off the bench as a defensive replacement.
Since acquiring Bryant last week, Kapler has been eager to see the most versatile, flexible version of his roster at full strength and with Longoria progressing, the Giants could be less than a week away from unlocking more lineup combinations and defensive configurations that will help the club create more matchup advantages.
A roster that includes 12-to-13 position players who are starter-caliber players will also give Kapler the freedom to rest his veterans on a more frequent basis, which figures to be important for a team with one of the oldest rosters in the majors.
“We weren’t really in a position where we could give guys days off as we navigated our way through the first part of the season and now we are in that position or we are about to be and I think it’s important that we take advantage of that,” Kapler said. “We always know there’s going to be a really good player in the lineup in whatever position we’re thinking about and that gives us the ability to get somebody off their feet for the day.”
