The Giants have sent Opening Day second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald to Triple-A in hopes of a reset for the slumping 27-year-old infielder.
The team announced Monday afternoon that veteran Justin Verlander was coming off the paternity list to take Fitzgerald’s spot on the roster. They optioned Fitzgerald to Triple-A Sacramento following Sunday’s 9-5 win over the Boston Red Sox.
Verlander will make his next scheduled start on Tuesday.
Fitzgerald appeared in 57 games this season and was the Giants’ starter at second for 25 of their 31 games before suffering a left rib fracture while diving for a ball in a game against the Texas Rangers in late April. Since returning from the injured list in mid-May, Fitzgerald had a slash line of .186/.245/.227 over 32 games with no home runs and 33 strikeouts.
Fitzgerald had acclimated well defensively to second base (eight defensive runs saved), but he had been 65 percent worse than a league average hitter (by wRC+) since coming back from a left rib fracture.
The hope for San Francisco is that Fitzgerald’s stint with Sacramento allows him to find his groove and re-gain the form he exhibited last season.
Fitzgerald was one of the team’s few bright spots last season, emerging to hit 15 home runs with 17 steals over 96 games. Along with the overall numbers, Fitzgerald had a stretch where he was one of the best hitters in baseball. From July 20 to August 5th, Fitzgerald hit 10 home runs with a 1.352 OPS, becoming the first Giant to homer in five straight games since Barry Bonds in 2004.
That combination of power and speed has been absent from Fitzgerald’s game this year. Overall, he is hitting .230/.289/.320 with two homers and nine steals.
In the short-term, the Giants’ second base options are Christian Koss and Brett Wisely. Once third baseman Matt Chapman returns from injury, Casey Schmitt appears set to take over as San Francisco’s starting second baseman.
Schmitt, 26, has played exceptionally well since taking over for Chapman. Over 12 games, Schmitt is hitting .415/.478/.732 with four homers runs and 12 RBIs while playing above-average defense. He’s continued to remain productive even after suffering a left ankle contusion after fouling a ball off himself on the day that the Giants acquired Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox.
San Francisco hasn’t gotten much out of its second basemen this season. Entering Monday, the Giants’ second basemen have accumulated -0.3 WAR with a .570 OPS, which ranks 27th in the league. When Chapman returns, Schmitt stands to help the Giants get more out of that position.
“He’s playing great. I think he’s really coming into his own,” said outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on Sunday. “I think he needed a little bit of maybe pressure applied to him in terms of a little extra motivation. Sometimes, when you get your back pushed against the wall, you come out swinging. That’s what he’s done.
“I don’t think he’s tried to fill Chappy’s role, and I don’t think anyone has expected him to. … He’s played through some stuff. He fouled those balls off his shin. He wasn’t feeling great. He’s been really gritty and he’s taken some really good at-bats. So, it’s been huge to have that production from him, and to see him with that confidence is awesome.”