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It’s possible Donovan Solano is taking yet another step

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Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports


GOODYEAR, Ariz. — In 2019, Donovan Solano proved he was a major league player. Last year, he proved he was an everyday player, as he hit righties well, too. This year, he has said he would like to infuse more power into his game.

If he keeps a checklist, he is getting close to having all the boxes filled out.

Solano knocked his second home run of the spring, this one to dead center, off Cleveland righty Zach Plesac on Tuesday. Through 28 spring plate appearances, he has 13 hits (.464) with two doubles and the two dingers. And nearly as impressively, he has one strikeout.

“I see myself as the type of player that puts the ball in play,” Solano said through translator Erwin Higueros. “And I know that I’m trying to hit extra-base hits, but all the sudden I’m hitting home runs.”

The Giants could not ask for much more from the 33-year-old, who was a Silver Slugger winner last season. And yet, perhaps there’s more to juice out from his swing.

There are caveats here: The ball will fly better in the Arizona heat, and there was a wind blowing out Tuesday. And yet…

“I think you can make a case that the swing is a little bit more powerful,” Gabe Kapler said after the 7-0 victory over Cleveland at Goodyear Ballpark, before saying it’s too early to tell under these conditions. “…But Donnie has power to all fields, and he uses the field line to line, which is part of what makes him such a dangerous all-around hitter.”

In two seasons and 431 plate appearances with San Francisco, Solano is slashing .328/.362/.459. The at-bats have been better against southpaws for the righty batter, but he made it impossible to bench him against anyone last year.

Kapler said he can “flat-out hit,” and they don’t view him as a platoon bat. Sure, Tommy La Stella will get days at second against some righties to give Solano days off, but it won’t be permanent.

Finding Wilmer Flores at-bats could eventually be a challenge, but he should get time at first, which he plays better, and perhaps at third, which he plays worse.

Solano is no longer a fringe player or platoon player or regular player. He is on the cusp of stardom.

“I just want to continue the success that I had last year,” Solano said over Zoom. “Last year I proved that I was able to hit righties and lefties. I think that’s the same thinking for all of us here — trying to give the manager great options to put the best player available.”


The Giants brought a fairly representative lineup on the road and crushed Cleveland pitching.

“I think it’s certainly exciting to see it all come together at once in a game, and that’s really what happened,” Kapler said. “It was a well-played game.”

Also going deep were Austin Slater off the righty Plesac, a missile to right field, Brandon Crawford and infield prospect Will Wilson.

Slater is having a very nice camp. He was hit by a pitch and stole second and Kapler shouted out his baserunning.

For Wilson, the dinger came off a 100-mph fastball from Emmanuel Clase that he reversed over the right-field wall for his first home run of the spring.


The Giants had two more errors, including a wild throw from third baseman La Stella to first baseman Jason Vosler. Kapler would not directly say so, but those positions may be reversed ideally.

“I can see Vosler doing a really nice job at third base and first base,” the manager said. “Tommy’s working really hard at third and is developing at that position.”

Evan Longoria’s plantar fasciitis will make the third-base depth especially important.


Speaking of Longoria, he “most likely” will play the field Friday, Kapler said. Brandon Belt (offseason heel surgery, mono) could get a pinch-hit at-bat as early as Wednesday.