SF Giants may already have a solution at first base right under their nose

The SF Giants have not gotten a ton of production at first base this season. LaMonte Wade Jr. has struggled mightily, but perhaps the Giants have a solution right under their nose with infielder Casey Schmitt.

Prior to this season, Schmitt was thought of as a third baseman, shortstop, and second baseman. Due to the injury Jerar Encarnacion sustained in spring training, the Giants called upon Schmitt to play first base.

SF Giants could have first base solution in Casey Schmitt

While it was a bit unorthodox, Schmitt ended up looking really good defensively at first base. He had to spend some time on the IL due to an oblique injury, but now he is back and is looking good at the plate as well.

In ten games and 27 at-bats, Schmitt has six hits including two hits in the first two games of the series against Kansas City. Those numbers do not fly off the page, but the Giants are going to have to try to shake things up at first base sooner or later.

Wade has just not been able to find any sort of rhythm at the plate this season. He is slashing .168/.271/.280 with one home run and 14 runs batted in. Perhaps his hitting lesson from Barry Bonds will pay off eventually, but right now the Giants need to get creative.

Manager Bob Melvin should give Schmitt more starts at first base going forward. Typically, when Schmitt was healthy Melvin would give him starts at first base against left-handed pitching. That should continue, but Melvin should also give Schmitt opportunities against right-handed pitchers.

Schmitt may very well be a greater power threat than Wade at this point. At the very least the two are equal threats to hit the ball out of the ballpark. Plus, there is really not much of a defensive dropoff with Schmitt. The Giants are now at the point where they need to experiment to see if they can figure things out at first base.

When Encarnacion returns, he could end up being the answer at first base. But for now the Giants should give Schmitt more opportunities to prove himself. His path is blocked at third base and shortstop, so he needs any opportunities he can get.

Demanding Casey Schmitt get more starts at first base would have seemed ludicrous at the beginning of the season, but baseball is a weird game. The Giants should embrace the weirdness and give Schmitt more starts at first base.