With the end of spring training looming, those Giants who are out of options have their futures hanging in the balance. Some of those players have more certain futures than others. All, though, are hoping to make a big splash in the MLB this season.
Players who have run out of minor league options must be on the opening day roster. Or they must be placed on waivers. Here, all other teams have the opportunity to claim that player. Who would then be on their opening day roster? Throughout the league, teams are making tough decisions on what to do with their players. The Giants are no exception. There are four in total and two tough decisions.
Jerar Encarnacion
At six-foot-four, 250 pounds Jerar Encarnacion is everything you’d dream of in a slugger. After he hit a grand slam off of Seth Lugo on his debut, the Marlins thought they had uncovered their man. Things unfortunately didn’t go to plan and by 2024, he found himself in Mexico. He had a 1.429 OPS here before the Giants decided to take a shot on him mid-season. The Giants must determine whether the righty has a role on the roster this coming year.
Whilst not setting the world alight in 2024, Jerar brought some excitement to Oracle Park. His .248/.277/.425 doesn’t tell his story at all. For a start, he was unlucky, according to expected statistics. His xBA was 27 points higher at .275, and his xSLG was 76 points higher at .501. Numbers that turn average into good. He more generally brought hard-hitting into a team with a lack of it. All of his bat speed, barrel%, and hard-hit% were elite, even if they were only over a small sample.
Encarnacion’s issues remain the strikeout. His 28.6 strikeout percentage isn’t surprising when you see he chased 34.8 and whiffed 28.7 percent of the time. He also offers nothing defensively. Although the Giants have no clear DH currently, being able to flex into a corner would be necessary, especially for a guy with a career 75 wRC+ in the MLB.
I expect Encarnacion to be on the opening day roster, especially with the clear hole at DH. If he struggles to begin the year, expect him to be waived. This is particularly true with Bryce Eldridge, who hopes to make an appearance at DH later this year.
Sam Huff
Sam Huff is also in a difficult position, particularly with Tom Murphy’s injury. After being with the Rangers his entire career. It was actually the Giants who claimed him off waivers at the end of last season. There is little discussion about whether Huff is good enough to be a backup catcher. Moreso, whether he should be the guy over Murphy, who is owed four million dollars this year.
Having only played 78 games in the big leagues since 2020, Huff has struggled to establish himself. Not to say he’s been bad though. He provides average defense with, at times, average offense. He has a career .258/.313/.455 line puts him over 10% on average for that time.
Expect Huff to be on the opening day roster, especially with Murphy’s injury ruling him out. When Murphy is healthy, though, the path is unclear. The Giants will need to find a trade for one of the players, who is unlikely to return much. Or, place Huff on waivers. Whether it is in San Francisco or not, Huff will likely play in the MLB this year.
Heliot Ramos
If this one had been just one year ago, Heliot Ramos would’ve left the Giants no choice but to put him on waivers. Just one year later, he is one of the first names in the lineup. After struggling to make an impact, Ramos entered his age 24 season with many already labelling him as a bust. He decided to make those people look stupid. After tearing it up in Sacramento to start the year, he left the Giants with no choice but to send him to the big leagues. It was here where he continued to shine. His 120 wRC+ was in large part thanks to his power, which led to him being picked in 2017. His 22 home runs showcased this, especially with his home park being Oracle.
The questions about Ramos this year are not whether he’ll be on the roster but whether he can continue to be a big offensive weapon. Projection sites expect a regression but still expect him to be an above-average hitter. Giants fans will be hoping he can be the first Giant to hit 30 home runs since Barry Bonds.
David Villar
David Villar is, unfortunately, in the other boat. At 28 years old, Villar is no longer a prospect. Despite being labeled as a third baseman, his defense limits him more so to first. Here, he will have his best shot of making it onto the opening day roster.
Across three years and 100 games, Villar has just a 93 wRC+. It’s a concerning stat for someone who adds nothing defensively. That’s not to say Villar could be a big-league hitter, though. ZiPS projects him to have 1.9 WAR this season. As a good defensive first baseman hitting league average.
It feels inevitable that Villar is waived before opening day. Whether another team is willing to take a chance on him remains to be seen. He certainly wouldn’t be the first Giant to excel elsewhere after being put on waivers, that’s for sure.
Main Photo Credits: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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