The San Francisco Giants received unfortunate news on Sunday when it was revealed that third baseman Casey Schmitt, who has been swinging a hot bat, was scratched from the lineup once again ahead of the series finale against the Chicago White Sox.
According to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle, Schmitt was originally listed in the lineup, set to bat seventh and play third base, before being removed.
Casey Schmitt scratched again for SF Giants in series finale vs. White Sox
With Schmitt out of the lineup again, Christian Koss will take over at third base and hit seventh, while Brett Wisely gets the nod at second base, batting ninth.
This marks the second straight game Schmitt has been a late scratch. He was originally penciled in to start Saturday but was pulled due to lingering wrist soreness from being hit by a pitch during the Marlins series.
It’s unfortunate timing for the injury, as Schmitt had been on a tear at the plate. Over his last seven games, he was hitting above .400 and had compiled a strong season slash line of .276/.360/.439 with four home runs and 15 RBIs.
Schmitt’s recent run of playing time came as a result of Matt Chapman landing on the injured list with a hand issue. Chapman is reportedly making progress and could return before the All-Star break.
Once Chapman is back, the Giants may still find it difficult to sit Schmitt. Luckily, there’s an easy fix—move him to second base. With Tyler Fitzgerald recently demoted to Triple-A after struggling, second base is wide open.
Among the internal options, Schmitt is clearly the most impactful. Koss has held his own but doesn’t offer Schmitt’s power. As for Wisely—well, let’s just say he was picked off again while I typed this, so his future in the lineup might be in question.
The Giants desperately need their offense to wake up. Getting shut out by a 56-loss White Sox team on Saturday was inexcusable. Having Schmitt’s bat in the lineup might’ve helped, but for now, caution is the right move. Hopefully, he’s back soon.
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