Why the Giants drafted young players Matos and Rodriguez to the minors originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
LOS ANGELES – Two days after the Austin Slater trade, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi met with reporters to discuss that move, in addition to the subsequent Nick Ahmed’s DFA. Zaidi said it was time for young players have one more chancewith Tyler Fitzgerald and Luis Matos standing out as the two who would see additional hits right away.
“More than anything, it’s just a vote of confidence in these guys,” he said. “Matos and Fitz, in particular, are guys who have been back and forth between here and Sacramento a little bit.”
Fitzgerald made the most of it, hitting five homers over the course of his last five matches and solidifying himself in the lineup. Bob Melvin doesn’t want to put too much on his shoulders right now, but he’s slowly moving up the lineup.
Matos, on the other hand, is back in Triple-A.
The Giants selected the 22-year-old on Wednesday as part of a series of roster moves ahead of their third game in Los Angeles. Recently claimed outfielder Derek Hill joined the active roster and Robbie Ray was also activated. Matos and rookie right-hander Randy Rodriguez were sent back to the minors.
Matos made just two starts and managed just 11 total hits after Slater was traded. He hit a hit, finding himself in the maelstrom that often engulfs young players. He wasn’t playing enough to find his rhythm, which led to difficulties when he saw the field. Melvin replaced him in Michael Conforto’s big spot on Monday, and Matos was eliminated. He then made a defensive error this proved expensive.
A team with different aspirations would play Matos every day and let him correct mistakes. But the Giants see Hill as a better option, at least this week, as they try to get back to the MLB playoffs and stop the bleeding on what has been a terrible road trip.
“For younger people, it’s a little more difficult in the role he played,” Melvin said. “Expecting a lot from him in that role where he plays once every three or four days – we don’t have [faced] many leftists – it was difficult for him. He’s going to go down, get some hits, get some consistent hits, and we’ll see what happens with his role the next time he’s here.
“I think Derek is probably a little more used to that kind of role. It’s an acquired taste. It’s difficult for younger players.”
Melvin noted that Matos has done his best work when given the opportunity to play every day. Right now, the Giants go with Heliot Ramos in center every day and Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski at corner against righties.
Without putting Matos ahead of one of the veterans, the Giants would need to trade to give him a greater opportunity. Given what they have shown on this tripIt’s possible that one of the veterans could be transferred next week, allowing Matos to return and feel comfortable at corner on a daily basis.
Rodriguez will not need a trade to return. The rookie pitched well, but appeared in the first two games of this series and would not be available again until Friday. The Giants preferred to stick with guys who could give them multiple innings on Wednesday, as Ray was coming off the IL and would be under pitch counts.
“Randy will be back; he’s part of this team,” Melvin said. “What he’s accomplished from spring training to now, it’s hard to predict that he would pitch at times in the eighth innings, pitching big innings, pitch length. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do. It’s more of a numbers game than What a real demotion for him.”
