SF Giants make another frustrating decision after latest roster move

The SF Giants made a pretty frustrating decision on Saturday. Middle infielder Marco Luciano was optioned back to Triple-A according to the team's transaction log.

SF Giants make another frustrating decision after latest roster move

On a positive note, Matt Chapman was activated from the paternity list. He and his wife, Taylor, welcomed Gia Alexandra Chapman to the world during his brief time off. We would like to congratulate the Chapman family for their new addition! This is a very exciting time for them.

The veteran third baseman also signed a six-year extension earlier this month, so September has truly been a banner month for the Chapman household. That said, the birth of their daughter will be the memory that they remain forever.

Chapman is looking to finish the year on a positive note. On the year, he is slashing .247/.329/.448 (118 wRC+) with 24 home runs, 73 RBI, and 93 runs in 617 plate appearances. This includes a 10.0 percent walk rate, 24.3 percent strikeout rate, and .201 ISO. He has also set a new career-high in stolen bases with 15 in 17 opportunities.

On the other side of the transaction, Marco Luciano was optioned back to Triple-A. There are only a couple of games left in Sacramento's season, so he may not even get another official at-bat before the year concludes.

It has been a rough year for the young middle infielder. He has registered a .211/.259/.303 line (59 wRC+) with five doubles in 81 plate appearances this season. Plus, Luciano struggled badly at shortstop to the point where he has begun seeing more time at second base.

The 23-year-old has not earned much playing time and baseball often rewards performance. The Giants' front office or coaching staff have shown little appetite to allow players to develop in the majors.

With that being said and considering that the Giants have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, this feels like a wasted opportunity to get Luciano at-bats against major league pitching. It is not as if the alternatives have been better. Giants second baseman have posted a .209/.245/.340 line (63 wRC+) while being worth -0.1 fWAR this season.

It is fair to say that someone like Donovan Walton is a better alternative, especially on the defensive side. However, the improvement might be so marginal that it does not even matter nor does it impact winning in a season that is already lost.

Luciano or Casey Schmitt should be seeing every rep at second base. However, the Giants continue to send a confusing message to the players and the fans.

At the end of the day, Luciano might have received a few more games this year, so the lost at-bats do not impede his development. It just would have been a breath of fresh air to see someone play at second base who will hopefully be with the team next year.