The San Francisco Giants had a rather tumultuous offseason that featured them missing out on Aaron Judge and then losing Carlos Correa after his physical went awry. The Giants must now move past that and focus on the 2023 season. Even if they are far from their 107-win season in 2021, this club must emulate and replicate some of the terrific performances from that year.
San Francisco's front office did make some notable moves despite not getting the big fish, adding two power-hitting outfielders in Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto while also acquiring pitchers Ross Stripling, Sean Manaea, and Taylor Rogers.
The Giants lack the superstar-caliber players to propel themselves to World Series contender status. The NL West is arguably one of the strongest divisions in baseball, so it will be interesting to see if San Francisco can compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres. As Spring Training continues, here are some of the ongoing Giants position battles to watch.
Starting rotation
Ever since last decade, San Francisco has relied heavily on its pitching and keeping the score at a low number. They were never the most talented bunch, but they found a way to scrap and claw their way to critical victories. That will be a similar case for this year as they added several pitchers who have crowded their staff. The bullpen is a vastly different discussion, but it is ideal for sticking to the starters for the Giants.
Logan Webb will continue being the No. 1 guy for San Francisco, along with the old reliables, namely Alex Cobb, Ross Stripling, and Sean Manaea. That leaves the Giants one open spot, which Anthony DeSclafani, Jakob Junis, or Alex Wood can fill. Manager Gabe Kapler has the dilemma of starting the season with five or six starters, and then he must decide who will be the long relief pitchers from the bullpen.
Catcher
Giants fans miss franchise cornerstone and superstar Buster Posey. He was an elite backstop who could play at that position every night. Before his retirement, the expectation was for the ascension of young stud Joey Bart. The problem is that his game has yet to translate into the majors, creating a logjam at catcher in Spring Training.
Bart was sent down last June because of his struggles at the plate, so the coaching staff was more comfortable utilizing Austin Wynns at the latter juncture of the season. The market for catchers in the offseason was stale, so they could not chase a player who would swing the tide for them. Two-time Gold Glove winner Roberto Perez is also in the race for the starting catcher slot, along with Blake Sabol, who has been impressive in Spring Training.
Corner infield
Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria have gone their separate ways and left their first and third base positions, respectively. The versatility of LaMonte Wade Jr. will likely put him as the starter in first base. Wade was a crowd darling two years ago, but he must rectify many issues from his 2022 performance. The first base options are clearer compared to who will start as the primary third baseman.
One choice is the youngster David Villar, who was phenomenal in the minors before he was promoted. The essential part is that his production must translate into the majors to grab the starting spot. If he continues to struggle, someone like J.D. Davis or Wilmer Flores can also play the corner outfield positions.
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