The SF Giants have optioned struggling infielder Marco Luciano to Triple-A Sacramento and promoted the young, speedy outfielder Grant McCray to the majors. This is an attempt by the Giants to shake things up in their lineup.
SF Giants demote Marco Luciano and promote Grant McCray
The decision to option Luciano per the team’s transaction log does not come as a huge surprise considering the fact that the Giants were simply not playing him much lately. This is despite the fact that ostensibly the plan after trading DH Jorge Soler was to give Luciano at-bats at DH, a plan that seemed somewhat flawed from the outset.
Luciano has power but is not a major power threat by any stretch of the imagination. The notion that he was going to start raking as the DH always seemed a bit fanciful. Plus, the fact that the Giants refused to play him in the field just reinforced the notion that he is not capable of being a big league infielder. It was just a really puzzling decision all around to call him up in the first place when it seems clear there was not a real plan in place for his usage.
Taking his spot on the roster is the speedy outfielder Grant McCray. The 23-year-old was slected by the Giants in the 3rd round of the 2019 MLB Draft. This year in Sacramento he has slashed .272/.347/.471 with 6 homers and 29 RBI. This was a marked improvement over his alarming .210 batting average in Double-A Richmond which is where he began the year.
McCray does have solid speed. He is not a huge base stealing threat as he has only been safe 8/11 times in Triple-A when attempting to steal, but his speed is more evident in the outfield where he is a true center fielder. He will get the start tonight against the Braves in center field which pushes Heliot Ramos over the left field which is probably where he is best suited anyway.
We will see how this move pans out. McCray does not seem like a great candidate to come in and turn the team’s offense around but you never know when one player can be a spark and get a team going. Perhaps this infusion of youth and excitement with a player who can make some great plays in the outfield and showcase his speed on the bases is just what the team needs right now.
