Why Giants optioned young players Matos, Rodriguez to minors

Why Giants optioned young players Matos, Rodriguez to minors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES — Two days after Austin Slater was traded, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi met with reporters to discuss that move, plus the subsequent DFA of Nick Ahmed. Zaidi said it was time for young players to get more of an opportunity, with Tyler Fitzgerald and Luis Matos standing out as the two who would see additional at-bats right away.

“As much as anything, it’s just a vote of confidence in those guys,” he said. “Matos and Fitz, in particular, are guys who have been a little bit on the up-and-down shuttle between here and Sacramento.”

Fitzgerald has taken full advantage, hitting five homers over his last five starts and entrenching himself in the lineup. Bob Melvin doesn’t want to throw too much on his shoulders right now, but gradually he is working his way up the lineup.

Matos, on the other hand, is back in Triple-A.

The Giants optioned 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 got just 11 total at-bats after Slater was traded. He had one hit, finding himself in the whirlpool that often swallows up young players. He wasn’t playing enough to find his rhythm, which led to struggles when he did see the field. Melvin sent him up for Michael Conforto in a big spot on Monday, and Matos struck out. He then made a defensive mistake that proved costly.

A team with different aspirations would throw Matos out there every day and let him work through the mistakes. But the Giants view Hill as a better fit, at least this week, as they try and claw their way back into the MLB playoff picture and stop the bleeding on what has been an awful road trip.

“For younger guys, it’s a little bit more difficult in the role that he has been in,” Melvin said. “To expect too much out of him in that role where he’s playing once every three or four days — we haven’t [faced] a ton of lefties — it was tough for him. He’ll go down, get some at-bats, get some consistent at-bats, and we’ll see where it goes with where his role is next time he’s up here.

“I think Derek is probably a little more used to this type of role. It’s an acquired taste. It’s tough for younger players.”

Melvin noted that Matos has done his best work when given a chance to play every day. Right now, the Giants are going with Heliot Ramos in center every day and Michael Conforto and Mike Yastrzemski in the corners against righties.

Without outright moving Matos ahead of one of the veterans, the Giants would need a trade to give him a greater opportunity. Given what they’ve shown on this road trip, it’s possible that one of the veterans is moved next week, allowing Matos to return and get comfortable in a corner on a daily basis.

Rodriguez won’t need a trade to return. The rookie has pitched well but appeared in the first two games of this series and would not have been available again until Friday. The Giants preferred to stick with guys who could potentially give them multiple innings Wednesday, given that Ray was coming off the IL and would be under a pitch count.

“Randy is going to be back; he’s part of this team,” Melvin said. “What he has accomplished since spring training until now, it’s a tough one to forecast that he would be pitching at times in the eighth innings, pitching in big innings, pitching length. He has done everything we’ve asked him to do. It’s more of a numbers game than an actual demotion for him.”

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