Top 3 SF Giants questions that need to be answered in spring training

The SF Giants have a roster that is largely settled. Few players within the current group have minor league options and there are not many 40-man roster players who are on the roster bubble at the moment. That said, there are still a couple of camp questions to answer.

Top 3 SF Giants questions that need to be answered in spring training

The Giants finished last season with an 81-81 record and a +19 run differential. Despite all of the things that went wrong last year, the Giants fielded a competitive team and a case could be made that they should have won a few more games.

A better bullpen and playing fewer players out of position likely would have moved the Giants closer to the playoff discussion. The Giants addressed the bullpen by adding former All-Star reliever Taylor Rogers to a three-year, $33 million deal.

On top of this, they added Luke Jackson, who is expected to begin the year on the injured list, and they hope that a full year of Scott Alexander and Thomas Szapucki will pay dividends. We made the case that Szapucki could be an X factor in the bullpen given his strong finish and that he is light on experience.

San Francisco addressed some defensive issues. The addition of Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto moved Joc Pederson into a DH-only role. The outfield defense should be improved but the infield defense still has some issues.

The lineup was not a glaring issue last year, but the signings of Haniger and Conforto will be welcomed additions nonetheless. The lineup should have some length to it. Lastly, the starting rotation has depth and should continue to be a solid unit. There are some questions that remain in the rotation.

1. Who is the No. 5 pitcher in the SF Giants starting rotation?

Assuming health, the Giants should begin the season with a top of the rotation that features Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, and Ross Stripling. On paper, this is not necessarily the best trio in baseball, but it is one that should be quietly productive.

What the Giants do after that is anyone's guess at this point. San Francisco has Sean Manaea, Alex Wood, and Anthony DeSclafani under contract as well. DeSclafani only made five starts last year after before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, whereas Wood missed the final month of the season with a shoulder ailment.

Manaea is coming off of a down season as he posted a 4.96 ERA in 30 outings for the San Diego Padres. However, the left-handed hurler is a relatively durable arm as he had made at least 25 appearances in five of six full seasons. Plus, he has finished with below a 4.00 ERA in three seasons, excluding the 2019 season where he made only five starts.

Of course, Kyle Harrison could enter the rotation early in the year if he continues this upward trajectory. The top pitching prospect excelled in Double-A last season and should graduate to Triple-A to start the year. Plus, he is already making a positive impression in Scottsdale, Arizona.

San Francisco has been tight-lipped about DeSclafani's recovery from surgery, but it sounds like it is possible that he could have workload restrictions in 2023 given that he missed most of last season. Similarly, Wood might be better-suited for the bullpen at this point in his career.

It feels like one of DeSsclafani or Wood will have a spot in the rotation out of camp. The other could begin the season on the injured list. That leaves Manaea as potentially the No. 5 starter.

Top 3 SF Giants questions that need to be answered in spring training

2. What are the SF Giants doing at catcher?

The likely outcome is that Joey Bart and Roberto Pérez are the two top catchers heading into the season. However, the Giants will have Blake Sabol and Austin Wynns in camp as well.

Sabol is a Rule 5 pick from the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco appears motivated to see what he can do. The left-handed bat is light on catching experience, but he can play the corner outfield spots as well. At the very least, the numbers pointed to Sabol being a competent catcher in the minors last year.

Plus, he experienced a spike in power last year, blasting 19 home runs in 513 plate appearances split between two levels. The Giants are hoping that he is a late bloomer.

On the other hand, Wynns was the best defensive catcher among the group last year. He was a preferred backstop for some pitchers down the stretch. With the addition of Pérez, Wynns likely falls a little lower on the depth chart as Pérez is a glove-first receiver as well.

I guess there is no question about who the top catchers are. I guess the question is if Pérez pushes Bart for playing time. It is no secret that the Giants targeted several veteran catchers this winter and it is fair to say that one or two of them could have supplanted Bart as the starting catcher.

Pérez has struggled to stay healthy in recent seasons. He appeared in just 21 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates last year before sustaining a season-ending hamstring injury.

If the 34-year-old catcher finds a way to stay on the field, it would not be surprising if he pushes Bart for playing time. He is a two-time Gold Glove winner at catcher and has received positive reviews behind the dish.

The nine-year veteran has posted a 75 OPS+ throughout his career, but teams are willing to make the tradeoff between subpar offense at catcher if he can contribute defensively. That is Pérez's profile.

Bart's 2022 campaign was a mixed bag both at the plate and behind the dish. San Francisco likely will not make another addition at catcher and they want to see him succeed. That said, if he struggles to establish himself next year, the front office will be more active on that market.