SF Giants recall C Joey Bart and swap exciting young outfielders
The SF Giants recalled catcher Joey Bart and outfielder Luis Matos (Giants Top 4 Prospect) prior to Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. They placed catcher Patrick Bailey on the seven-day concussion injured list and optioned Wade Meckler (Giants Top 22 Prospect) to Triple-A Sacramento in a pair of corresponding moves. Bailey was removed from Tuesday night's 11-8 loss with concussion symptoms, so that move was expected. However, opting to swap Matos and Meckler is a bit more unexpected.
SF Giants center fielder Luis Matos makes a diving attempt to catch a double by a Boston Red Sox hitter on July 30, 2023.
D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
Matos got off to a solid start after he was called up earlier this season, but cooled as the season progressed. Eventually, the Giants opted to give Meckler an opportunity in his place. However, Meckler struggled even more mightily at the plate in the majors. On the season, Matos has hit .331/.401/.543 in the minors with 14 doubles, two triples, and 12 home runs in 63 games. In 59 big-league games, Matos has a far more pedestrian .251/.311/.356 line. Still, that's notably better than Meckler, who has been unable to put the ball in play consistently and hit .232/.328/.250 with 25 strikeouts and just one extra-base hit in 64 plate appearances.
Bart, of course, was once a top prospect in the Giants organization and is a former second-overall pick. After an impressive stretch to finish the 2022 campaign, Bart was in a position to solidify himself as the Giants' starting catcher this season. However, his power disappeared at the big-league level as he seemed to overprioritize cutting his strikeout rate. When he went down with an injury, the Giants called up Bailey, who immediately hit the ground running and usurped Bart on the depth since.
When Bart was optioned back to the minors following Bailey's emergence, he fell into the worst offensive slump of his minor league career. However, has been more productive recently, hitting .295/.434/.474 with five doubles and three home runs in his last 99 plate appearances.
As the SF Giants continue to slide in the standings, they need to turn things around quickly. While the loss of Patrick Bailey obviously makes things harder, the front office hopes that Joey Bart and Luis Matos can help spark a winning streak.
