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Marco Luciano played first base for the first time in his professional life on Wednesday, creating quite a stir among Giants fans who are desperate for a quick fix for a team that just got swept in Detroit and has serious issues scoring runs.
Yes, the Giants are on the prowl for any way to improve their anemic offense. Yes, Luciano can show flashes of raw power. Yes, he’s still someone who intrigues the front office.
But Luciano, whose first base debut came with Triple-A Sacramento, isn’t looked upon as the savior who’ll suddenly emerge in the middle of the Giants’ lineup and turn this offense around. He was converted from shortstop to left field because he struggled as an infielder, especially on ground balls, and the move was perceived as the best way to heighten his offensive potential. Letting him play first base is a way to enhance his versatility.
Anyway, the immediate plan is for Jerar Encarnación to be promoted from Sacramento within the next few days and get starts at first base when opponents start a left-hander. Not that Encarnación can be a savior, either. The man has 58 big-league games to his name and began last season in the Mexican League.
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Any production from Encarnación will be welcomed, of course, but much more is required from those already in the lineup. Anyone who has seen the Giants of late would agree they’re no longer doing the little things to win games, from moving runners over to hitting in the clutch to stealing bases to putting down bunts.
The Go-Go Giants have turned into the No-No Giants. They stole 21 bases and hit into just 13 double plays through April, but in May, they’ve had five steals and 23 DPs. They’re walking less. They’re scoring less. They’re not taking advantage of RBI opportunities.
Things have turned especially sour in the wake of Wilmer Flores’ magical three-homer day against the A’s on May 16. The Giants failed to score as many as five runs in any of the next 11 games. In that span, with runners in scoring position, they hit a horrendous .143 with a .270 on-base percentage and .175 slugging percentage (.445 OPS).
Compare that to the first half of May when the slash line with runners in scoring position was .330/432/.602 (1.034 OPS).
What can the Giants do? First of all, realize that Buster Posey isn’t one to panic. Nor react to public pressure and opinions. He stayed cool during bleak times as a player and undoubtedly is doing the same as the president of baseball operations. He’s about exercising patience and trusting his guys, at least until this troubled offense makes him crack.
It doesn’t seem as if Bryce Eldridge is walking through the door anytime soon. Posey envisions better times ahead without needing to rush his top prospect from Double-A Richmond. Not just because Encarnación could be a threat but because he believes hitters with productive track records can’t possibly continue slumping like this.
The rotation has been solid. The bullpen has been spectacular. The hitting, quite frankly, has stunk. It’s a collective effort, though Heliot Ramos continues to outdo his 2024 All-Star season. Too many others are scuffling, none more significant than the shortstop who accepted a $182 million contract over seven years to lead this offense.
Say what you want about Willy Adames, who put up a monster year in 2024 in Milwaukee but is below average on both offense and defense as a Giant. He could be feeling the effects of a new surrounding, an unfriendly hitters’ park and the largest contract in franchise history, all reasons for players to plummet after signing enormous deals.
But this is supposed to be an excuse-free business, and Adames needs to do what he was signed to do and make a positive difference on the field, not just in the clubhouse and dugout. During the Giants’ 11-game lull, Adames batted .105 in 38 at-bats and went 1-for-12 with six strikeouts with runners in scoring position, a microcosm of his season.
Hitting coach Pat Burrell spoke last homestand about Adames’ high leg kick, which was prominently on display as he flourished throughout last season. But when struggling, the mind-set is to limit the moving parts in a bid to regain a rhythm at the plate, so Adames is trying a lower leg kick, one of his many efforts to regain his groove.
Likewise, by all accounts, LaMonte Wade Jr. continues to work overtime to snap out of his season-long funk and had two hits Wednesday, a hard-hit double that drove in the only run and a rare bloop single, a good sign for the first baseman who needs more Late Night LaMonte moments to secure playing time.
Wade’s at-bats gradually are getting better. He’s hitting .250 with a .339 OBP in his last 18 games, still not up to par but a far cry from his .125/.243 numbers in his previous 30 games. A key will be to re-emphasize his elite strike-zone awareness and high walk rate.
First base will be a bit crowded with Encarnación coming and Flores and Casey Schmitt all right-handed hitters, though a key to keeping Flores healthy is taking his mitt away and leaving him as the designated hitter. Schmitt can play all around the infield, and Encarnación is an outfielder by trade, but broke his hand playing outfield in spring training, which landed him on the 60-day injured list.
Wade has an advantage as the lone lefty swinger in the bunch. Jake Lamb swings from the left side in Sacramento but hasn’t played in the majors since 2023 and isn’t exactly the answer at first base. Drop down a level, and the left-handed Eldridge is raking at Richmond (.294/.361/.532 in 30 games). The 20-year-old continues to get necessary reps both at the plate and first base.
It’s not just Adames and Wade who aren’t hitting, of course. Catcher Patrick Bailey amazingly has a sub-.500 OPS but sticks in the lineup because of his defense. Tyler Fitzgerald remains a work in progress. Mike Yastrzemski has been mostly good, and Flores has been an RBI godsend; we’ll see if he can keep driving in runs. Limited production is coming from too many reserves: Schmitt, Luis Matos, Christian Koss, and Sam Huff.
But for the offense to click, the Giants’ stars have to come up big. Not just Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee, who has become must-see entertainment at Oracle Park, but Adames and Matt Chapman, who’s hitting .224 with 18 strikeouts in 48 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
It would help to refocus on the little things – getting runners over, getting them in and bringing back the running game – and perhaps juggling the lineup some more just for the heck of it, especially against left-handed starters, the Giants’ nemeses.
The good news is that the Giants have the pitching to keep them in games until the offense comes around. The other good news is they’re no longer facing the mighty Tigers and play their next three games against the not-so-mighty Marlins.