Difficult decisions as La Stella, others near return
PHOENIX — Tommy La Stella might join the Giants as soon as Tuesday at Arizona, which will start a string of potentially very difficult roster decisions, barring injuries in the meantime.
La Stella will play primarily second base, which means essentially that the team must choose between Donovan Solano, who’d have to be designated for assignment, and Thairo Estrada, who has options but who has played well since being called up, hitting .338 with three homers and a .908 OPS in July. Estrada, 25, is also more of a backup shortstop than is Solano, and that’s something the team needs with Mauricio Dubón at TripleA Sacramento.
Through Sunday, Solano, 33, was batting .275 with a .702 OPS, but he earned a Silver Slugger in the shortened 2020 season, and in his three seasons with San Francisco, he has a .308 average. He’s likely to be tough to get through waivers, and the Giants do like to maximize their roster flexibility, so this will be a fascinating choice.
La Stella has been out for three months, first with a hamstring strain and then with a fractured thumb. He hit .200 with two RBIs in 12 rehab games with TripleA Sacramento going into Monday.
The next decisions could be even more difficult, with first baseman Brandon Belt potentially back later this week and third baseman Evan Longoria starting a rehab assignment toward the end of the week. LaMonte Wade Jr. has been such a consistent contributor, it’s hard to imagine he wouldn’t get regular atbats against righthanded starters, probably moving from first to left. Longoria’s return will mean fewer opportunities for Kris Bryant at third, so he, too, is likely to get more outfield time.
Who, then, might come off the roster among the outfielders? Alex Dickerson snapped an 0for17 funk with his grand slam Monday and he also tripled, but he’s had a rough season much of the way. Austin Slater and Steven Duggar also could be possibilities; Slater, like Bryant, is a righthanded hitter and Dickerson and Duggar, like Wade, are lefthanded. Slater and Duggar play center field, as does Bryant. “He can hold the fort down out there,” manager Gabe Kapler said of Bryant’s abilities in center.
Through Sunday, Duggar was batting .281 with an .825 OPS and seven homers in 203 atbats, Slater .230 with a .695 OPS and nine homers in 209 atbats.
No Posey vs. Bumgarner:
That ohsofamiliar combo of Madison Bumgarner and Buster Posey are unlikely to face each other for the first time Tuesday.
The longtime, wildly successful Giants battery moves no sentimental needles when it comes to making out the lineup, it seems. “Our plan is to have (Curt) Casali catching,” Kapler said.
Seeing some raised eyebrows in the press corps, Kapler joked, “Is it too late to change my mind?” then added, “I do think there’s always the possibility that we change course, but we kind of looked at the last couple of games and looked all the way out through our offday and this is what I perceived the best way to set these guys up to be successful.”
Posey seldom starts more than two games in a row and he was in the lineup Sunday and Monday.
The teams meet again the final week of the season, so if Posey doesn’t see action against Bumgarner on Tuesday, he might get another shot then. Posey didn’t play in 2020, Bumgarner’s first season in Arizona after 10 years with the Giants.
Briefly: Wade remained out with lower back tightness and a bruised shin; he was expected to be available off the bench and probably will start Wednesday’s game . ... Lefthander Jake McGee was named the NL Reliever of the Month after converting all seven of his save opportunities and going unscored upon in 11 outings . ... Outfielder Mike Tauchman cleared waivers and was sent outright to TripleA Sacramento . ... Outfielder Jaylin Davis came off the IL and was optioned to Sacramento.