There are two sides to every coin. The San Francisco Giants are suddenly dealing with an injury bug—which happens to every team every year in some form or another. Mitch Haniger has a Grade 1 oblique strain; Brandon Crawford has left knee discomfort; David Villar has a mild hip flexor strain. None of these injuries necessarily mean those players will miss the Giants' Opening Day game in New York, but they certainly could. In that case, is it time for SF Giants fans to panic? Or do the Giants have the depth to cover these injuries?
Rule 5 pick Blake Sabol might stand to benefit the most if there's an injury to an outfielder. He might make the team regardless considering how well he's performed in spring, but the current catcher has spent most of his career in the outfield. If Haniger has to start the season on the IL, it seems likely that the San Francisco Giants would use the opportunity to keep Sabol on the roster. Regarding Brandon Crawford, an injury to the veteran could create some problematic defensive alignments, with Thairo Estrada moving to short, David Villar (if he's healthy) moving to second, and J.D. Davis (or Wilmer Flores) moving to third.
Alternatively, the SF Giants could give an opportunity to young players like Brett Wisely or Isan Díaz, both of whom are on the 40-man roster and play middle infield. More so than in recent years, the Giants have some interesting young talent that appears ready to step in in the event of these injuries. The SF Giants also have Casey Schmitt, the star defender, close to MLB ready. Schmitt will almost certainly start the season in Triple-A, but if he dominates offensively, he could quickly become an answer at either third base or shortstop.
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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.
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