The problem with SF Giants internal options at first base is not production

The first-base market moved quickly this weekend, leaving few options remaining for the SF Giants. At this point, it looks like Wilmer Flores and LaMonte Wade Jr. will have a timeshare at first base in 2025. The issue is not necessarily performance with either player, but how much time they see on the field.

The problem with SF Giants internal options at first base is not production

It bears mentioning that performance was a pretty big issue for Flores in 2024. He slumped to a .595 OPS with four home runs and 26 RBI while finishing the season on the injured list following a knee procedure. There is a good chance that issue affected him last season.

The veteran bat has typically been a solid performer, slashing .260/.317/.434 (105 wRC+) with a 6.9 percent walk rate, 13.7 percent strikeout rate, and .174 ISO. These are not bad numbers whatsoever. However, Flores is limited to first base at this point in his career.

You tend to need more production out of that spot in the lineup. Flores hits but he does not add much value otherwise. He is a quality defender at first base, but not in a way that generates a ton of value. Plus, he does not offer much on the bases.

How many games can the Giants count on with Flores? He has spent time on the injured list in three of the last four seasons and was limited to just 71 games in 2024. They hope that the knee issues are behind him.

On the other hand, Wade Jr. is in a similar boat as Flores. He has put together strong numbers in recent seasons. The left-handed bat put up a .761 OPS with eight home runs and 34 RBI in 401 plate appearances last season. He offered very little power but posted an excellent 15.5 percent walk rate, so he reached base 38 percent of the time. That is a very strong number.

The 30-year-old has endured brutal slumps mixed in with his solid triple-slash line. He posted .657 OPS in the second half of last season. Even his walk rate declined during that stretch, but it is below-average production at a position that needs to hit.

Similar to Flores, Wade Jr. does not offer much in terms of positional or baserunning value. He is fine defensively at first base, but not in a way that would generate much value and he is a below-average runner. While he reaches base at a high clip, he does not do much to add value after that.

Wade Jr. has spent time quite a bit of time on the injured list in two of the past three seasons. He was limited to 117 games in 2024. For a player who is often used as a platoon lefty, that is close to a full workload.

The Steamer projections do see Wade Jr. and Flores being a solid tandem in 2025. Wade Jr. is projected to put up a 117 wRC+ in 105 games, whereas is expected to rebound to a 107 wRC+ in 91 games. The production would be just fine, but the projections paint a similar issue with those two as has been the case in recent years.

First base was one of the many positions that the Giants could have upgraded this offseason. Their first base contingent ranked 20th baseball with 0.6 fWAR 2024. They could still look to upgrade that position but they would need to get creative.

Both Paul Goldschmidt and Carlos Santana could have alleviated that to some degree. Each player agreed to a one-year deal with Goldschmidt joining the New York Yankees and Santana returning to the Cleveland Guardians.

They each have a long and consistent track record of durability while appearing in at least 140 games annually. It is a minor detail but they are more multi-dimensional players than Flores or Wade Jr. Santana is an excellent defender while Goldschmidt continues to be an excellent baserunner. This is in addition to offering above-average power.

Availability tends to get overlooked in baseball as many position players fill a specialized role. However, there is value in being able to pencil in the same player in the lineup each day, especially if they are contributing. For the Giants, it looks like they could begin next season with the same options at first base and hoping for different results.