Giants' roster continuity stands out most two weeks into MLB season

SAN FRANCISCO -- Before the fourth game of the 2024 season, the Giants DFA'd catcher Joey Bart and added right-hander Daulton Jefferies, who started later that day and then was immediately optioned back to Triple-A. Bart was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and Jefferies later joined him there -- but only after being recalled and optioned two more times in early May.

A year earlier, a trade for veteran Matt Beaty in the hours before the opener at Yankee Stadium led to Bryce Johnson and Sean Hjelle surprisingly being left off the Opening Day roster after strong springs. Brett Wisely had been told the night before the opener that he was being optioned, but he ended up returning after the roster shakeup.

"I'm honestly still in a little bit of shock," Wisely said the last time the Giants visited New York. 

Two days later, he was optioned and Johnson was added to the roster. Hjelle arrived the next day. 

That's just the way things were in the clubhouse for a few years, starting in 2019, when Farhan Zaidi acquired Connor Joe and Michael Reed at the end of his first spring in charge and plugged them right into the lineup. In 2022, the Giants used a franchise-record 66 players, and it became the norm to go through 50-60 players a year.

As the Giants headed back out on the road Wednesday night, the same 26 players who were in Cincinnati two weeks ago boarded the flight. There are a lot of important numbers from the first 12 games, nine of which have been wins, but the one that stands out the most might be zero. 

Through two weeks, the Giants haven't made a single roster move. They're one of just four teams in the big leagues with their original 26-man roster intact. 

"There will be moves that are made this year, but also I think it's important to read the room," president of baseball operations Buster Posey said on Thursday's "Giants Talk" podcast. "These guys are close already and they've created a pretty cool atmosphere in that locker room. We are off to a nice start, so I think we take all of those things into account when myself, Zack (Minasian), Jeremy (Shelley) and Bob (Melvin) are considering some of these decisions. It's not that we won't make moves, but consistency is important to me as well."

There are reasons beyond personal preferences for the lack of roster churn. The Giants had two off days over their first eight days of the season, and they somehow escaped Cincinnati without dealing with any of the usual weather issues that can lead to another pitcher or two being added. Their starting pitchers are giving them quality innings, and it's certainly easier to be patient with slumping hitters when you're winning.

There's also the fact that the Giants have been remarkably healthy going back to the start of the spring. Tom Murphy and Jerar Encarnación went on the IL before the opener, but nobody has gone down since the season started. 

But a big part of this is personal preference. The front office and coaching staff want clubhouse continuity, and there's no doubt that the vibes within that room are significantly better this season.

"We're trying to establish a little bit more of a set type of lineup," Melvin said. "Now look, lineups change as it goes along -- we're going to have subtle moves with lefties and righties (pitching) -- but I think Buster is trying to just create some stability here. So far, so good.

Melvin has used his Opening Day lineup five times through 12 games, with the only notable shift being a two-spot drop for Patrick Bailey, who is off to a slow start. LaMonte Wade Jr. has a .146 on-base percentage but remained atop the lineup Wednesday, with Willy Adames (.465 OPS) right behind him. Melvin scoffed when asked about making big changes after back-to-back shutouts, noting that it was just two games and he still likes the composition of his lineups. 

At some point, the Giants will adjust with players who are slow to come around, but the focus early on has been on patience. That's been particularly important with young players. 

Casey Schmitt had a rough debut at first base last week, but when he was thrown back out there Tuesday, he cut off a run with a heads-up play on a squeeze. He also had two hits, and afterward, Melvin was asked if Schmitt might get more time at second base. The manager said he has faith in Tyler Fitzgerald, who has a .546 OPS through 10 games.

Fitzgerald's rookie season was a great example of the importance of giving some leeway to young players. He got picked off in the ninth inning of a tie game against the Dodgers last May 13 and was put on ice for a full week before getting optioned back to Triple-A. When the Giants gave him an everyday shot later in the summer, he flourished. Fitzgerald mentioned several times this spring how much trust he has in the staff right now.

"You saw what happened last year," Melvin said. "He was moving around a little, got sent down, now we make a move at short (with releasing Nick Ahmed) and he gets to play short every day and it was a lot better. I think for young players, it certainly helps to know that it's probably not going to be knee-jerk." 

Fitzgerald is one of three young right-handed-hitting infielders on the roster, along with Schmitt and Christian Koss. The Giants are short on left-handed bench options, but they've used just eight total pinch-hitters so far. They also have just one left-handed reliever, but that hasn't bothered Melvin late in games yet. He views Tyler Rogers as someone who can neutralize tough lefties, and the submariner has started his year with seven straight scoreless appearances. 

With an extra spot in the bullpen, the Giants have been able to stick with Hayden Birdsong, who didn't appear in the first five games of the season. Birdsong threw three sharp innings Tuesday and has seven shutout frames over the past seven games. The Giants eventually will stretch him back out, but with their rotation looking strong early, they're going to use Birdsong as a multi-inning threat right now.

"We monitor his workload, but look, Hayden Birdsong is a baseball player. When I say baseball player, he wants to do whatever he can to help the team win," Posey said. "I do see him long-term as being a great big league starter but he has taken to his role in the 'pen. I'm not surprised with how well he has taken to it so far."

The flight to New York on Wednesday kicked off a three-city, 10-game trip against teams off to good starts, and also marked the start of 17 consecutive games without a break. At some point over the next two and a half weeks, a roster move will be required. There will be changes to the lineup and fresh arms for the bullpen. But for now, the clubhouse is enjoying the continuity, and crediting the closeness for some of this early success.

"It's about as much fun as I've ever had on a baseball field," Mike Yastrzemski said after his walk-off homer on Wednesday. "It's an unbelievable group. Even when things got tough the last two days when we're not scoring any runs, we're still having fun, smiling, we're not letting it affect us. I think these are learning curves even for veteran guys. It's a nice reminder to just keep fighting."

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