Bryce Eldridge is trying to force his way onto SF Giants roster

The SF Giants sold at the trade deadline. While they are not completely out of the playoff race, they already have one eye on 2026. That is why Bryce Eldridge's recent hot streak could make the team promote him to get him some experience.

Eldridge, the team’s number one position player prospect, has been on a big hot streak in Sacramento lately. He’s coming off a three-homer weekend including two bombs on Saturday, and has an impressive seven homers in his last 56 at-bats. That’s the kind of power that won’t be quelled by even the imposing brick wall of McCovey Cove. Over his last 15 games he has a .999 OPS, which has brought his overall OPS for the season up to .802 in Triple-A.

SF Giants may be forced to call up Bryce Eldridge after tear at the plate

Giants fans have been chomping at the bit to see Eldridge’s light-tower power for themselves for quite some time. The best teams in baseball are driven by their homegrown young superstars, and it’s easy to dream of Eldridge being the savior that ushers in a more optimistic era of Giants baseball. There are some factors, though, that suggest we may have to wait until next year for Eldridge’s much-ballyhooed debut.

Consider the fact that he’s still only 20 years old, younger than the average Triple-A player, and he missed over three weeks of time after straining his hamstring running the bases on June 21st. He also needs to keep up his tear at the plate to prove he’s achieved true mastery of the Triple-A level. He’s only played in 67 games this season split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels, and in Sacramento his overall slash line is .248/.311/.538, which is good for a 106 wRC+. The slugging percentage is tantalizing, but his modest batting average and OBP – combined with a still-high strikeout rate of around 29% - leave room for growth.

Furthermore, Eldridge’s glove at first base has always been something of a work in progress, which isn’t ideal considering that Rafael Devers is also below-average with the glove there. Defense is an issue that’s important to Buster Posey over at first base, as he shared the field with Brandon Belt for many years, who could pick it with the best of them. Posey was asked about Eldridge’s progress on the “Giants Talk” podcast, and he had this to say:

“I think he's making progress. Bryce, I think what's exciting about him is he wants to not only be a great hitter -- he wants to be a great defender, as well. He knows there's work to do and he was hurt a little bit this year with the hamstring and missed some time. For him, it's repetition, getting the reps, being in situations in games that can only be provided by being in that game.”

That’s a perfectly fair assessment, and what Posey probably wouldn’t want to say publicly is that if Eldridge were to make his debut this year, it would start his service time and potentially mean he’d reach free agency a year earlier if he stuck in the big leagues. There’s no way to make the argument that Eldridge is a victim of service time manipulation with all the factors that are at play, though. His young age, shortened season, the fact the Giants probably aren’t competing for a playoff spot this year and their glut of first base options in the majors are all conspiring in tandem to keep him a minor league player for now.

Devers, Wilmer Flores and Dominic Smith are all on hand to take reps at first base, so there’s no room for Eldridge on the roster right now without jettisoning one or both of Flores and Smith. Wilmer has been ice-cold at the plate after his hot first couple months and is a free agent at the end of the year, but Posey chose to hold onto him even though he probably would have been an attractive bench piece for other teams. Smith is also not under contract beyond the year, but he’s been slightly better than Flores at the plate lately and, perhaps most importantly, is the Giants’ best defensive option at the position right now.

Assuming Wilmer departs for another team this offseason and Smith is viewed as merely a placeholder before Eldridge’s arrival, there should be plenty of room for Eldridge to start mashing at Third and King early next year. The Giants are under no pressure to promote him too quickly, though, and preaching patience is more worthwhile concept for his long-term development than satiating our curiosities in the short-term.

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