SF Giants active roster has an interesting dynamic before season begins

The SF Giants roster has an interesting dynamic going as they enter the final week of spring training. The active roster is, for the most part, set and no one is necessarily at risk of losing a spot on the 40-man roster.

SF Giants active roster has an interesting dynamic before season begins

Perhaps, the Giants have some flexibility as they head into the season due in part to injuries. For example, Mitch Haniger (oblique), Alex Cobb (knee), and Austin Slater (hamstring) could all begin the year on the injured list. It the case of Slater, it has been confirmed.

However, the Giants are holding out hope that Cobb and Haniger can be ready for Opening Day. On the other hand, Luke Jackson (Tommy John surgery), Luis González (back), and Thomas Szapucki (arm) are candidates to be moved to the 60-day injured list. This would open up some extra space on the 40-man roster.

While the back-end of the roster is still being figured out, there is no one whose roster spot is in joepardy. It is a rare occurrence as there is seemingly one or two players every year who are out of options and have not established a role on the major league roster.

If we go back one season, both Tyler Beede and Mauricio Dubón were at risk of losing their roster spot at the end of camp. Of course, they both made the club due in part to the rosters being expanded to 28 players for the first month of the season. Otherwise, neither one might have made the club.

I suppose Blake Sabol is the only one who was at risk of losing his roster spot as he entered camp given his Rule 5 status. However, the Giants always seemed motivated to see what the catcher/outfielder can do once the regular season begins. And, the good news is that the Giants are leaning toward keeping him after a very strong camp.

The trick will be finding a way to retain him for the entire year. He will need to hit early and often to stay on the Giants roster or else he would need to be offered back to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

However, that is the only real case and even that seemed unlikely. The Giants' 40-man roster is an interesting contrast between established players with roles and no options on the active roster compared to younger, less established players on the back-end.

I guess there is little drama this spring. Sure, there has been some pleasant surprises, but few surprises are significantly changing the outlook of the Opening Day roster.

Around this time of year, teams try to play musical chairs to try and preserve as much organizational depth as possible on the 40-man roster. However, that will not be the case with San Francisco. They could add two or three players to the 40-man roster through a combination of non-roster invitees and potential waiver claims in the next couple of days.

For now, the roster is relatively set. And, it is the same 40-man roster, for the most part, that they will have when the season begins.