The SF Giants have gotten very little production from their bench so far in 2025, underscoring a broader roster problem: a lack of position-player depth. This weakness could soon become a pressing need to address at the trade deadline.
SF Giants poorly constructed bench highlights potential trade-deadline need
I should start by pointing out that Bob Melvin typically doesn’t rely heavily on his bench. He appears to prioritize lineup consistency over rotating in different players, possibly due to a lack of trust in the alternatives he has.
Currently, the Giants’ bench includes Sam Huff, Casey Schmitt, Christian Koss, and Luis Matos. In general, turning to utility players often means sacrificing some level of performance compared to the regular starters.
Take Sam Huff, for example — inserting him into the lineup means accepting a decline in defensive quality behind the plate. Still, Huff brings raw power and can occasionally deliver offensively. While he’s not a significant upgrade over Patrick Bailey at the plate, his power gives him some value.
The rest of the bench poses a bigger challenge. The drop in production compared to the starters may be too steep. Schmitt arguably deserves the bulk of playing time at first base until Jerar Encarnación is back, but Melvin continues to go with LaMonte Wade Jr.
Although Wade Jr. has struggled at the plate, Melvin might be valuing his past success over Schmitt’s current potential. Given Wade Jr.’s recent performance, using Schmitt might not be a downgrade at all — in fact, it could be an upgrade, making Melvin’s choice somewhat questionable.
Christian Koss filled in capably during Tyler Fitzgerald’s absence, but his numbers — a .576 OPS, one home run, and eight RBIs in 67 plate appearances — suggest limited offensive upside. He’s looked dependable at second base and has had timely hits, but he doesn’t project as a high-impact player.
Then there’s Luis Matos. He’s been used inconsistently and has produced a .503 OPS with three home runs and four RBIs in 72 plate appearances. This limited role isn’t helping his development, and he’d likely benefit more from playing every day in Triple-A.
All of this underscores the Giants’ bench depth issues. It’s difficult to place full blame on the players — many of them are still young and have mainly been everyday players in the past, meaning they’d benefit from regular playing time.
Still, none of them can currently be inserted into the starting lineup without a significant dip in performance. While first base might be a target for reinforcement at the trade deadline, bolstering the bench should be a top priority as well.
Be the first to comment