Versatile infielder quietly putting together a strong finish after languishing on the bench

SF Giants utility bat Christian Koss languished on the bench for much of the year before the Luis Arráez trade, along with the Matt Chapman and Willy Adames injuries. Since seeing regular playing time, he has taken advantage of the opportunity.

It has been an odd year for Koss, and one I do not really put much blame on the young infielder. He put together a solid rookie campaign in 2025, and continued that into spring training this year. The coaching staff said all the right things about Koss, and it seemed like he would fill a similar role this year.

Then, the season started and playing time dried up immediately. It was not just sporadic. It was nearly nonexistent. Koss was optioned in the middle of May and then suffered a wrist fracture. At the time of being optioned, he appeared in 10 games, collecting only 15 plate appearances.

Despite the club's poor start, Tony Vitello could not find a way to get Koss into the lineup for six weeks. Players need to perform when their name is called, but it is extremely difficult to get into a groove when playing time is light and unpredictable, like what Koss experienced. Koss is not the only player this happened to, so it needs to be an area of growth for Vitello. Part of being a manager is using the players on the roster and finding spots for them to succeed.

SF Giants utility bat Christian Koss picking up steam with more playing time

Koss was not set up for success. Then, he missed another six weeks with an injury. The Giants recalled him in July, and it was more of the same in terms of playing time.

Once Luis Arráez was traded, playing time opened up immediately. Not surprisingly, it took some time for Koss to get into a groove, as he missed much of the season while on the bench and on the injured list.

Since August 9, the right-handed bat is hitting .258/.301/.423 (101 wRC+) with four home runs, eight RBI, and 18 runs in 107 plate appearances. Admittedly, that is an arbitrary date, but that was when Koss started to string together some hits.

Koss' numbers have been helped by a power surge in September. He only had one home run heading into the month, but he has added three more so far. This includes a multi-homer effort against the New York Mets over the weekend.

Part of being a utility infielder is also being able to handle multiple positions, and Koss has done just that. He has graded out as a capable defender at second base, shortstop, and third base. In fact, he is the only Giants infielder to grade out as an average-to-above-average defender at shortstop. He has recorded one Outs Above Average (OAA) and one Fielding Run Value (FRV) at the position. Willy Adames' defense was a regular topic of conversation before he landed on the injured list, but Koss' defense has not been much of a topic at all.

The Giants have a roster crunch looming in the offseason. Koss could be part of that crunch, but the ability to play a competent shortstop gives him a leg up over the other utility infielders.

Playing time was sparse to start the year, but Koss is showing again that he is a capable utility player.

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