Where Luis Matos stands in competition to make Giants’ 2026 Opening Day roster

SCOTTSDALE — There is no yellow line at the top of the massive batter’s eye at Scottsdale Stadium and that led to some confusion on Friday.Bryce Eldridge hit a 109 mph line drive off the black padding in the second inning and about half of the stadium thought it was a homer. Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers casually picked the ball off the warning track before realizing that Eldridge was still running. The big first baseman ended up with a triple, which delighted teammates, who lightheartedly asked him how long it had been since he had one of those. Eldridge didn’t mind that he got some help.“I’ll take it,” he said, smiling. As the ballpark was still buzzing, Luis Matos stepped up and crushed a fastball to a similar spot. It had an estimated distance of 444 feet, but Matos ended up with an RBI double off the batter’s eye. Later, he found an easier approach.In his third at-bat of the day, Matos yanked a Yunior Marte fastball down the left field line and into the bullpen. The homer continued what has been a big spring. Matos is 9-for-20 with two home runs and two doubles. He has yet to draw a walk, but also has not struck out. “He’s strong,” manager Tony Vitello said. “For a guy that’s not as big (as some of the other guys), he’s strong (and) he backspun it there with success.”The timing of this latest hot stretch couldn’t be better. Matos is out of options and the Giants would have to designate him for assignment if he does not make their initial roster. Coming into camp, it seemed more likely that they might prioritize Drew Gilbert, who got those reps over Matos down the stretch last season, or Jerar Encarnacion, who profiles better as a power bat off the bench. But a lot has changed over two weeks of games. Front offices know better than to put too much stock into the kinds of results Matos is getting, but sometimes they can be a good tiebreaker. That’s particularly true when you’re looking for reasons to keep a 24-year-old outfielder who is a former top prospect.The Giants don’t believe there’s any chance Matos would get through waivers and to their Triple-A roster if they DFA him at the end of March. There’s a greater chance of that with Encarnacion, who is 4-for-23 with no extra-base hits. They have seen his power potential in flashes the last couple of years, but over the next two weeks of Cactus League games, they certainly need to see a bit more production. Gilbert has been sidelined by shoulder soreness and might run out of time. Grant McCray has had a very good spring and made noticeable adjustments to his approach, and he’s a great fit for a roster that lacks speed. But he can be optioned and Matos cannot, and that often makes the difference this time of year. Will Brennan is on the 40-man roster and non-roster invitee Jared Oliva has shown off intriguing speed and defense. A star of the spring has been 24-year-old Victor Bericoto, but he is coming off a couple of inconsistent minor league seasons and has just 11 games of Triple-A experience.Bericoto’s emergence could play into the decision-making in one respect. If the Giants believe it’s real and he can help them at some point this year, they would likely feel a bit more comfortable parting with a Matos or Encarnacion, knowing there’s a new layer of depth.Asked about Matos before Friday’s game, Vitello mentioned that he has always thought that a lot of young hitters don’t utilize their legs enough in their swings. That’s been a talking point with Matos this spring.“I think he’s athletic and has a great foundation in his swing and it’s what leads to a clean-looking swing and a pretty consistent hitter,” Vitello said. “He’s got a little bit of a track record to fall back on. He hasn’t had a huge runway in the big leagues where you could fairly say this is what he can or cannot do, so we’re taking into account the past but this is this year and it’s good to have a fresh set of eyes on him — whether it be myself or others — and evaluate how he is at the plate. “He’s capable, but obviously you get to a point, too, where you’re trying to figure out who the most capable guys are.”Matos has seen how the business works. He was in the same international signing class as Marco Luciano and they came through the system together, but Luciano ran out of options and spent the offseason getting repeatedly DFA’d until the New York Yankees finally snuck him through waivers. Wade Meckler, a teammate in Triple-A last year, was also designated over the offseason.Matos said Friday that he knows the reality is he’s playing to impress 30 teams right now, not just one. But he’s not stressing too much about the lack of minor league options and what that might mean.“I don’t think about it,” Matos said through interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I just come in and play and give 100 percent. That’s a decision that upstairs the (front) office is going to have to make.”Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Where Luis Matos stands in competition to make Giants’ 2026 Opening Day roster

Trending News