How Casey Schmitt’s new Giants role helps Bryce Eldridge produce at MLB level

SAN FRANCISCO — Oracle Park’s outfield has exposed bricks and archways and even an alley. When opposing teams show up, their coaches walk out to the grass in the afternoon and smack balls off all the nooks and crannies, hoping to find out more about which way the ball might bounce if it hits the side of an arch or bounces off the padding that is uneven in center and right. A few weeks ago, Casey Schmitt did the same, but in his transition to left field, it’s something else that has perhaps been more difficult to decipher. After a 10-3 win over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday, Schmitt started to move towards the infield for the handshake line. That’s when he remembered that Harrison Bader and Drew Gilbert always have something ready after a win these days. “I had no idea what was going on,” Schmitt said. “I almost forgot to even go over there … I just kind of looked over and was like, ‘Oh I have to go over to center field,’ and then we just did it.” The Giants' outfield did the Key and Peele celebration skit after the win pic.twitter.com/ESYLePQgdB — SF Giants on NBCS (&commat;NBCSGiants) May 23, 2026 After his fourth career start in left field, Schmitt found himself as part of a Hingle McCringleberry impersonation, and while this particular one might be short-lived — the Giants are pretty confident they’ll hear from the league office — Schmitt might need to get used to life on the grass. Saturday’s win was a good example of how the Giants, short-term at least, can solve their roster crunch, and how that can benefit them beyond just getting needed reps for rookie Bryce Eldridge. Schmitt now has made five appearances in left field and hasn’t at all looked out of place. Because of that, Eldridge got to DH for a third straight game, and the two combined for four hits, two runs and three RBI, two of which came on Schmitt’s 10th homer of the season. Homer No. 10 of the year for No. 10 pic.twitter.com/e1LCfoG9FL — SF Giants on NBCS (&commat;NBCSGiants) May 23, 2026 The Giants expect Jung Hoo Lee back in about a week, but Heliot Ramos’ quad strain is deep enough that it likely will cost him more than a month. There’s a runway for the Giants to use Schmitt in left field and continue to give Eldridge at-bats, and Schmitt certainly isn’t opposed. He has maintained throughout that he doesn’t care where he’s playing as long as he plays, and that has made this transition easy. “If you change a position, step one is you’ve got to have willingness to do it and not feel like you’re being put out, and he — kind of like Luis (Arraez) was amped up to get back to second base and be really good at it — Casey was geeked up about the opportunity,” manager Tony Vitello said. “Step two, or at least a step in there somewhere, is you’ve got to have fun with it, and he kind of seems to really be having fun.”Why wouldn’t Schmitt be smiling right now? His 10 homers lead the team and he ranks 14th in the National League in OPS. He is a third baseman by trade, and possibly good enough out there to compete for Gold Gloves, but he has embraced the utility role and thrived. “I think it’s just trusting myself and not trying to do too much,” he said. “I’m just taking my at-bats and sticking to a game plan.”Schmitt’s versatility has opened the door for Eldridge, who has looked much more dangerous in the box than his .538 OPS might indicate. He had a 113 mph double in Arizona and came a few feet from a 110 mph homer on Saturday. After that ball hooked foul, he smoked a 109 mph single. Eldridge saw 29 pitches over four plate appearances, including 11 in his first trip to the plate. For the first time in the big leagues, he reached base three times. “(It’s) just mature,” Vitello said of the rookie’s approach. “But I think he has shown that as a person so why wouldn’t it follow on the physical end of things, especially with the reps he’s been getting.”Schmitt and Eldridge were two of five Giants on Saturday to notch multiple hits in a performance that showed why this 21-31 start has been so maddening. This is in there somewhere, but it hasn’t shown consistently. All of the losing has led to plenty of questions about the future, and both Schmitt and Eldridge should be a big part of that. Eldridge is the top prospect, but Schmitt is a former second-round pick and top 100 prospect himself, and he’s only 27. This should be his prime, and he seems ready for it, no matter where the Giants might ask him to line up. Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

How Casey Schmitt’s new Giants role helps Bryce Eldridge produce at MLB level

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