Ron Washington may be even more than an infield coach for SF Giants

With the SF Giants adding veteran coach Ron Washington to the coaching staff as an infield coach, the Giants should see a boost to their infield defense. However, Washington may also end up reprising a past role for the team as well.

Washington is renowned and thought of as a fielding guru, but he has also served as a third base coach in the past. He was a third base coach with the Oakland Athletics and with the Atlanta Braves so he has experience in that role.

SF Giants may have Ron Washington serve as third base coach

Matt Williams served as the third base coach in San Francisco the last two seasons under manager Bob Melvin. Williams came under fire at times last year so it was no surprise that he was let go after Melvin was fired.

There was some thought that if the Giants retained first base coach Mark Hallberg they could move him back to being the third base coach which is where he was in 2022 and 2023, but Hallberg departed for a bench coach job with the Minnesota Twins.

Giants general manager Zack Minasian appeared on KNBR earlier this week and confirmed the fact that the Giants are close to finalizing a deal with Washington to bring him on as an infield coach. Minasian also left open the possibility that Washington will serve as the team's third base coach.

If the Giants do make him the third base coach, they are really getting a three-in-one deal with Washington. They are getting arguably the greatest infield coach in the game who has helped turn average infielders into Gold Glove winners, a former manager who has managed in two World Series who Tony Vitello can lean up and ask for advice, as well as an experienced third base coach.

That is a pretty nice addition to make to a coaching staff.

Third base coaches are not typically talked about unless things go wrong so the hope is that whoever serves in that role for the Giants next season remains fairly anonymous. The Giants do not have a lot of speedsters on the team so it will require a deft touch to know when to send guys and when to give them the stop sign.

Washington is 73 years old so we do not know how much longer he wants to keep coaching. But even if the Giants only have him for a year or two, whatever knowledge he can impart to the coaching staff and players on the team could prove to be invaluable.