BRONX, NY — Hours before Joey Bart’s first scheduled start of 2023, his manager reiterated the organization’s commitment to him, explaining that the best case scenario for the catching position is if Bart takes the position and runs with it.
“We really want to see Joey kick some ass tonight and going forward,” Kapler said April 1.
Soon after, Bart tweaked his back during batting practice. He was scratched from San Francisco’s starting lineup for Roberto Pérez, who also caught Opening Day.
Then Sunday, the Giants placed Bart on the 10-day injured list with a mid-back strain. Kapler said the team thinks it’s more of a short-term thing; the roster move is retroactive to March 31, meaning Bart will be eligible to return April 10.
“Everything, to be direct, everything I said about Joey yesterday applies now,” Kapler said. “There’s going to be more opportunities for him. All the same things that I mentioned are still fully intact.”
Things haven’t been smooth for Bart. He was thrust into a starting role in the shortened 2020 season well ahead of his schedule, then reverted back to Triple-A in 2021. Then, finally with the full-time role, Bart ranked fifth in MLB among hitters with at least 150 plate appearances in strikeout rate. He earned a midseason demotion — deemed a “reset” — to Triple-A Sacramento.
And after all that, the Giants publicly didn’t guarantee Bart a roster spot entering spring training. He ended up making the team, but coming off the bench on Opening Day.
Instead of Bart, the Giants are starting Blake Sabol behind the dish on Sunday. Sabol, in his first MLB start as a catcher, will work with Ross Stripling.
“We expected to take a real look at him as a catcher,” Kapler said of Sabol.
Sabol, who recorded his first MLB hit on Saturday, played catcher in the minors the past two years and in college at University of Southern California.
The Giants were targeting this series finale for Sabol to start even before Bart’s injury, Kapler said. The manager has said that SF wants to use all three catchers early on to see what they have.
San Francisco also signed veteran Gary Sánchez to a minor league contract this weekend. He reportedly has an opt-out clause on May 1 that he can trigger if he isn’t promoted. That might cut into Sabol, Bart and Pérez’s time to prove themselves.
Sean Hjelle, the 6-foot-11 right-hander who posted a 1.59 ERA in the Cactus League, got promoted to fill Bart’s roster spot. Hjelle had been a victim of the Giants needing only 12 pitchers to get through the opening slate of their schedule because of two built-in off days.