SAN FRANCISCO — When the Giants lost Brandon Belt for six weeks to a right knee sprain in the middle of the summer, the club never lost its grip on first place in the National League West.
From June 23-August 5, when Belt returned from an injury that initially threatened to end his season, the Giants went 19-14 and only saw their lead in the division shrink from 4.5 games to 3.5 games. Belt’s prior absence is proof the Giants have survived without him, but they also haven’t had to survive without the version of Belt who spent the last two months blasting homers and anchoring the most dangerous version of the Giants’ lineup.
Belt’s latest injury will require a long list of Giants players to help fill the void he leaves, but no one is more equipped to do so than Kris Bryant. Even if Bryant doesn’t put on a first baseman’s mitt the rest of the season, Belt’s injury shines a spotlight on the former Cubs star for a variety of reasons.
Since the Giants acquired Bryant at the July 30 trade deadline, he’s made several important offensive contributions, posted an .807 OPS and been worth 1.1 bWAR. Those numbers are solid, but it’s also fair to say that Bryant’s performance in a Giants uniform has been underwhelming, his defense at various positions has been shaky at best and he’s struggled to live up to expectations.
Bryant has been an important acquisition, but he’s mostly blended into a lineup filled with other solid players. It’s worked so far for a 102-win team that’s looking to clinch the National League West at Oracle Park this week, but the Giants’ World Series hopes may hinge on whether Bryant can hit another gear and perform like the star he was in Chicago.
The Giants don’t know how long a fractured thumb suffered in Sunday’s series finale against the Rockies will keep Belt out, but manager Gabe Kapler and his coaching staff have to plan for the worst. It’s possible Belt won’t play again for a Giants team with legitimate World Series hopes, which is why there’s serious concern about how to make up for the production he provided down the stretch.
Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi and general manager Scott Harris built a versatile roster for this type of a situation, which means the club has no shortage of options to replace Belt at first base.
Right-handed hitting infielder Wilmer Flores and left-handed hitting outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. both proved capable at first base during Belt’s prior absence while Darin Ruf, who is sidelined with an oblique strain but is expected back from the 10-day injured list later this week, is also an adequate first baseman.
Bryant can also play first base, and it’s possible the best iteration of a Giants lineup against right-handed pitchers would require him to do so. With Wade clearly a better defensive outfielder than Bryant, the Giants can send Wade to left field, start Steven Duggar in center field and have Mike Yastrzemski in right field against righties.
Against left-handed pitchers, the Giants’ top offensive lineup would have Flores at first base, Ruf in left field, Bryant in right field and Austin Slater in center field. Bryant has struggled in right field at Oracle Park, missing two catchable flyballs in a loss against the Braves during the team’s last homestand, but for San Francisco to offset the loss of Belt’s production, Bryant will have to prove he can learn from his prior mistakes.
Regardless of how the Giants adjust to Belt’s loss defensively, the best way they can keep a ship without a captain headed in the right direction is for the lineup to continue outscoring their opponents. Ruf, Wade and Flores have all performed well this year and continually exceeded expectations, and now it’s Bryant’s turn to show he can be the type of difference-maker who can carry an offense at a time of need.
For a soon-to-be-free-agent who hopes to secure a nine-figure contract in the offseason, there’s no better time to earn that deal than October.