Breaking down the SF Giants official Opening Day roster
The SF Giants finished spring training 14-15-1, but the beautiful thing about the preseason is that none of it matters now. It's Opening Day and the Giants are gearing up to face the New York Yankees (check out the series preview here) in the first game of a 162-game schedule.
Here's a breakdown of the 26 players on the roster:
SF Giants catcher Joey Bart. (2022)
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Catchers: Joey Bart, Roberto Pérez, Blake Sabol
The Giants have continued experimenting with offseason acquisition Blake Sabol (Giants #33 prospect) behind the plate, and they would love to find a way to get his left-handed bat in the lineup via a platoon. However, Bart and Pérez are just such superior defenders that it's hard to imagine him breaking through. With several outfielders sidelined to start the season, Sabol should get a chance to prove himself without needing to catch.
Pérez had a career year back in 2019, hitting 24 home runs with a .239/.321/.452 triple-slash in 119 games. However, ever since, Pérez has fallen back to a glove-first backup catcher. Nevertheless, the two-time Gold Glove Award winner has an impressive resume for a backup catcher.
Bart, of course, sure feels like he's in a make-or-break moment. Between Sabol's bat, Pérez's track record, and the front office's potential wheeling and dealing, Bart will need to avoid the prolonged slumps that plagued him last season. With more consistency, the former second-overall pick should be able to improve on his .215/.294/.364 triple-slash in 2022.
SF Giants infielder Thairo Estrada touches second base. (2022)
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Infielders: Wilmer Flores, LaMonte Wade Jr., Thairo Estrada, Brandon Crawford, J.D. Davis, David Villar, Brett Wisely
The least changed group on the roster, the Giants are basically returning their entire infield from last September. Of course, the loss of Brandon Belt is noticeable from this list; Flores and Wade will handle the bulk of duties at first base while Estrada and Crawford are slated to handle everyday responsibilities up the middle. It looks like Villar will play every day at the hot corner, which leaves the power-hitting Davis to roam around between first, third, pinch, and designated hitting.
Crawford and Wade have the most to prove this season after struggling mightily at the plate in 2022. While they are at different stages in their careers, both of them are trying to replicate the production they put up during their career years in 2021. If Crawford struggles once again, this could be his final big-league season. Wade, on the other hand, would likely need to be non-tendered and have to settle for a minor-league contract if he delivers another below-average campaign.
Villar and Estrada are easily the two youngest infielders on the roster and hope to solidify their place in the Giants' long-term core. Both players flashed enticing upside last season, although Villar's came in a small sample while Estrada's overall numbers over the course of the season were fairly average.
The only new entry is offseason trade acquisition Brett Wisely, who has had several highlight-worthy moments this spring. Wisely has played all over the diamond throughout his minor-league career with the Rays, flashing the athleticism to handle shortstop alongside first, second, and third base. He also saw time in the outfield this spring. It's surprising to see the Giants choose Wisely over other options, given his strikeout rate in preseason play (20 strikeouts in 53 plate appearances), but the left-handed bat walks at a good clip and adds some pop to the team's bench.
SF Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. (2022)
Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
Outfielders: Mike Yastrzemski, Michael Conforto, Matt Beaty, Joc Pederson
The Giants entered spring training with an overcrowded outfield, but injuries to several players, including major offseason acquisition Mitch Haniger, solved that problem for the front office. Conforto looks 100% healthy, which probably makes him the best position player on the Opening Day roster. Most importantly, he should be able to handle playing everyday duties in right field, allowing Yastrzemski to handle center field by himself until Austin Slater returns from the injured list.
Slater has been able to deliver pro-rated All-Star level production when limited to playing against left-handed pitching. The potential to keep him in a platoon for the entirety of the season could go a long way toward him posting elite numbers and staying healthy. Perhaps a platoon could also help Yastrzemski return to the above-average offensive production he delivered from 2019-2021. But to start the season, Yastrzemski is now the only center fielder on the Opening Day roster. The Giants did try Wisely in center occasionally this spring, though, so he's probably the backup.
Sabol will get his opportunities early this season in left field, with Haniger set to replace him once he returns. Pederson is listed here because it seems unfair to list him as solely a designated hitter, but he's on the roster for his powerful left-handed swing. Pederson made an All-Star team in his first season with the Giants and, hopefully, he can replicate that success back in the middle of the lineup.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their track record under Farhan Zaidi, the Giants passed on adding Bryce Johnson's versatile glove and speed to the Opening Day roster. Instead, adding another corner bat in Matt Beaty via a minor trade with the Royals. Beaty is coming off a down 2022 season but does have solid career numbers (.240/.320/.405 career triple-slash).
SF Giants pitcher Logan Webb throws a pitch against the Rockies. (2022)
Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Starting pitchers: Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, Sean Manaea, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood, Ross Stripling
Who would have guessed that all six of the Giants veteran starters, several of whom have long injury histories, would make it to Opening Day without landing on the injured list. Nevertheless, here we are.
Logan Webb is the undeniable ace of this rotation. After racking up 192.1 innings pitched last season, the Rocklin, California native looks well positioned to eclipse 200 innings pitched in a season for the first time in his career. If he can handle that workload and continue recording am ERA in the 2.90-3.10 range, Webb could find himself right in the middle of Cy Young conversations.
After Webb, Cobb was easily the second-best starter of the remaining group. However, few would be surprised if DeSclafani, Wood, or Manaea ended up locking up the second spot in the rotation, given their track records.
Stripling has never spent a full season in a big-league team's rotation, but he's also been consistently effective. With such a deep pitching staff, Stripling could be positioned for a breakout year.
SF Giants right-handed pitcher Camilo Doval throws a pitch. (2022)
Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Relievers: Camilo Doval, Taylor Rogers, Tyler Rogers, Scott Alexander, John Brebbia, Jakob Junis
Given the health of the rotation, Sean Hjelle's (Giants #28 prospect) standout spring was not enough to make the roster. It's worth wondering if the Giants could move Junis at some point this season to add depth elsewhere, but for now, he begins the season as the team's swingman. That should make it easy for manager Gabe Kapler to cover innings early in the season with seven pitchers on the roster who have routinely racked up more than 100 innings pitched in a season and Hjelle ready for a call-up from Triple-A.
Offseason acquisition Taylor Rogers has been dominant this spring, looking like he's in his old form. Rogers looks like the perfect southpaw to pair with closer Camilo Doval-who has looked spectacular as well.
Beyond that duo, John Brebbia, Tyler Rogers, and Scott Alexander all have been solid setup arms at various points in their careers, which makes them well-qualified to handle the middle relief/seventh-inning duty they are slated for.
The Giants have set multiple franchise records under Zaidi for the number of players who made the big-league roster at some point during a single season. With that in mind, the Giants' roster is surely going to undergo quite a bit of turnover. But only these 26 players will go down in history as members of the SF Giants 2023 Opening Day roster.
