Giants Baseball Insider

Giants Manager Says the Team is "Lucky" to Have Casey Schmitt Amid Infield Injury

The San Francisco Giants are currently without one of their defensive stars, and with Casey Schmitt stepping up, the team's manager praised his performance.
Jeremy Trottier|
Jun 3, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt (10) catches the ball for a double play against San Diego Padres designated hitter Gavin Sheets (30) during the eighth inning at Oracle Park.
Jun 3, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants first baseman Casey Schmitt (10) catches the ball for a double play against San Diego Padres designated hitter Gavin Sheets (30) during the eighth inning at Oracle Park. | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

In this story:

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have had an outstanding 2025 season so far, and much of it has been due to their left-side infield defense, which, between Matt Chapman and Willy Adames, has been outstanding.

Unfortunately, Chapman sprained his hand recently and was placed on the 10-day injured list, which is no doubt a tough issue to overcome for a team that is riding high on a 40-28 record currently.

The question then became, who is going to take his spot in the meantime?

Ultimately, the next man up was Casey Schmitt, a utility infielder who had recently come back from an injury of his own, only a few weeks prior. Replacing a multi-time Platinum Glove Award winner and former All-Star is no easy task, both from the team's perspective and from the perspective of the player who has to try and replicate that level of success. At the end of the day, the goal just needs to be playing well, not being a replica of Chapman.

Schmitt did exactly that on Wednesday, going two for four with two RBI, a walk and a strikeout, helping the team make a comeback in a 10-7 win over the Colorado Rockies. He was exceptional both in his timing on offense and in the field, making an outstanding throw during the bottom of the fifth inning to throw out a runner at first all the way across the diamond.

After the game ended, manager Bob Melvin discussed the game with the media, including a quote regarding Schmitt and his performance on the day. The quote, transcribed by Angelina Martin of NBC Sports Bay Area, reads as follows:

"You're getting breaking ball after breaking ball, and then to be able to take a fastball for a ball on the last pitch, that's a great at-bat. And then the next time up, hits a ball in the hole and gets us another RBI. So, it's a great opportunity for him, and he made a great play defensively."

"He's got a real opportunity to do some good things while Chappy's out. We're lucky to have him."

Melvin made it clear that not only were the spectacular plays impressive to him, but also the bases-loaded walk he took to gain back some momentum. With the team having struggled recently on the offensive end of the ball, having a player who can come in and spark life to the unit is a huge positive, especially when he can also make plays on the defensive end as well.

More news: Giants Miraculously Keeping Pace in Crowded NL West Despite Woeful Offense

For more San Francisco Giants coverage, be sure to bookmark and visit the site San Francisco Giants On SI.

Published
Jeremy Trottier
JEREMY TROTTIER

Jeremy Trottier started his writing journey with WBLZ Media, and has worked through multiple publications with 247Sports, USA Today, Fansided, SBNation and others. He is an avid fan of motorsports and most sports in general, and has completed a degree in sports management to further understand the sports industry. During his time with sports media, he has been credentialed for coverage of Boston College sports, and can often be found attending their football and basketball games as well as expected coverage of their men’s soccer team in the near future. Sports are a large part of his life and career, as he looks to pursue a full time role within the industry someday.

Home/San Francisco Giants News