Casey Schmitt started the Giants’ youth movement back on May 9, but he’s looking like the odd-man out at the moment.
Schmitt didn’t start in any of San Francisco’s last three games vs. the first place Diamondbacks, instead losing his spot to Isan Díaz against right-handed pitching.
“They wanted the left-handed bat in,” Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow said on Murph & Mac Monday morning. “This is another thing too about the roster. Every time you have an injury on a team, it affects a lot of people. So when [Mike] Yastrzemski goes down, they needed a left hitter. You bring in Diaz, he had just gotten back from injury, but he played like six games and was lighting it up. So they wanted to see what he could give them. Here’s a guy who could play both sides of second base. Here’s a guy with big league experience, a little less than two years in. Bring him in and it gives you another look from the left side. And it completely affected Casey Schmitt.”
If Schmitt is going to say with the Giants, he needs to play. Right now he’s not the first choice at third base (J.D. Davis), shortstop (Brandon Crawford) or second base (Thairo Estrada). Not to mention, Schmitt didn’t see the field with Wilmer Flores on the injured list. He’ll be back soon, adding even more competition for playing time.
Krukow believes that if Schmitt can’t win a spot soon, he’ll be sent back down.
“Schmitt all of the sudden becomes a guy who is going to be a defensive replacement,” Krukow said on KNBR. “And that’s very interesting. Because a guy with his talent, you can’t sit. He’s either got to play here or he’s got to play down in Triple-A. It’s going to be really interesting to see what they do with him as they go forward. But I think they may ride out this current situation until they get Wilmer Flores back who is close. When he comes back, then you have to make a real decision.
“Do you keep [David] Villar who can come off the bench and hit you a home run, or do you keep Schmitt? But if you keep him he’s got to play. If he doesn’t play, he’s got to go down.”
Though a Gold Glove talent, Schmitt isn’t hitting well enough right now to justify more playing time. Since a hot start, Schmitt is slashing an awful .140/.246/.200 in June.
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