Kurtenbach
Both Slater and Yaz have struggled this spring. Yes, they're coming off injuries, but Yaz was hitting .150 going into Wednesday's game, and Slater has a .167 batting average.
Even if they have a great final few days in Arizona, that's a lot of “meh.”
Slater will stay because of his glove, and the Giants will stick with Yaz because they're paying him nearly $8 million, and his good months (amid his month-on, month-off schedule) are strong.
Still, Slater is a platoononly bat whose strong glove is no longer as needed in the center with Lee's arrival.
And Yaz is no longer the player who received MVP votes in 2020. He's going into his age-34 season and is a low-average hitter with a slightly above-average slugging percentage (.430) over the last three seasons. I doubt anyone will select him in your fantasy baseball league.
Matos has beaten both players out in camp.
A fair competition? Perhaps not, given Slater's and Yaz's late starts.
But baseball has never been fair. Just look at the Dodgers' lineup — being conservative isn't going to beat that.
And for a team that clearly needs some bop in the lineup, I'm not too fond of the message that sending the best hitter in spring to Triple-A sends to the team or the fan base.
In Matos, the Giants have a guy who has done exactly what the team has asked of him the last two offseasons: He developed better plate discipline for 2023 and added serious muscle to help him turn warning-track fly balls into homers for 2024.
And yet the team still won't bet on him.
Matos has a ton of talent. That's what got him to the big leagues last season.
But it's the ability to adjust your game that keeps you in the big leagues. Matos is showing he can make adjustments. Yet he's not going to be a big leaguer for a team that isn't exactly pushing out Mike Trout and Ronald Acuña every day.
The notion that Matos needs more seasoning at Triple-A — and that will be what is pushed by the organization — is just cover for wanting to take the easy route, the conservative angle.
The cowardly angle.
I'm sure that will sell some tickets.
All this amid what has not been a good spring for the Giants' lineup.
Lee has been a fun
pickup, sure, but the Giants failed with shortstop Marco Luciano this spring, the shine of the Matt Chapman signing was tarnished by the way J.D. Davis' exit was handled, and fans are still peeved about Brandon Crawford leaving (please stop emailing me).
The Blake Snell signing is a big boost to this team's chances to compete this season, but this team needs someone on the upswing that swings the bat.
This team needs someone who can surprise the fan base not locked into Cactus League baseball. (You know, normal people.)
This organization needs a homegrown position
player win.
And Matos is that win. He's a player who the Giants have developed into a viable and exciting everyday option — a kid with some serious pop.
Yet the Giants won't take the win. They'll wait for Slater or Yaz to fail before giving Matos a chance.
Now you're asking Matos to clean up a mess — a very different scenario.
And even if Matos rips up Triple-A for a month or two, you'll be squandering this great momentum.
It's strange. Luciano was given every opportunity to win the starting shortstop job. He failed miserably. He does, indeed, need more seasoning at Triple-A.
Why has Matos been held to a different standard?
The Giants have shown no organizational disagreement in making bold moves for marginal upgrades. It might even be the front office's mantra.
The Giants have an upgrade available in right field—all they have to do is jettison Slater or Yaz.
Yet I seriously doubt they take it. It's all very strange and uninspiring. And in a season where competition is fierce— even for a wild card spot— this decision could loom large come September.