Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
SCOTTSDALE — The Giants are short at shortstop, but perhaps not for long.
Behind Brandon Crawford is Mauricio Dubon, who is their starting center fielder. Behind Dubon is … Donovan Solano? Veteran Arismendy Alcantara, who was among the first round of camp cuts? It is a glaring hole that should be filled soon.
“One of the things we’d like to do in the next few days is find some upper-level depth at that position,” Farhan Zaidi said on a half-hour Zoom call Thursday as Giants camp winds down.
There will be plenty of infielders, outfielders and pitchers who shake loose as teams cut down to 26-man rosters and have to face decisions with players with opt-outs and without options. There will be infielders who are expecting to win jobs who don’t.
Alcantara would be the most likely fit at shortstop in Sacramento, but the 29-year-old has not shown much this spring or in his major league time. At the moment, an injury to Crawford would make Dubon the shortstop, which would make some combination of Austin Slater, Mike Yastrzemski and perhaps LaMonte Wade Jr. as the center fielders. One injury would create two defensive holes.
Zaidi said whomever they land on likely will be the Triple-A starter.
The Giants’ president of baseball operations feels better about the center-field depth behind Dubon. He mentioned the optioned Steven Duggar, who could get an early chance if he performs in Sacramento.