Late Night LaMonte has an injured knee. Evan Longoria, the Giants' starting third baseman, will miss at least six weeks following finger surgery. Are the Giants completely doomed?
Actually, when Longoria missed more than two months last season, the Giants went 38-20 in his absence. This is a team built on depth, and Wilmer Flores is an underrated substitute at third base. His defense was surprisingly adequate last season (after a disastrous showing in 2020), and his bat more than held his own when Longoria went down. In the outfield, Wade's injury opens the door for Steven Duggar, who looked destined for another Triple-A assignment to begin 2022.
Trades and free-agent signings should remain in play as well. How about the Tampa Bay Rays' Vidal Bruján? He's an explosive athlete with electric speed, but only a contact oriented hitter who may not develop game-chaning power. So what? The Giants could absolutely use a player like that, and he's a bit blocked on the Rays' roster. Part of a deal could involve taking on the roughly $14.7 million owed to Kevin Kiermaier. Just a thought.
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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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