Casey Schmitt, the rookie infielder who injected a shot of energy into the Giants in his first three weeks with the club before petering out, has returned to the big-league club.
The Giants recalled Schmitt from Triple-A as he’s been clobbering Pacific Coast League pitching since his early August demotion. San Francisco also recalled pitcher Sean Hjelle, placing Ross Stripling (mid-back strain) on the 15-day injured list — retroactive to Aug. 17 — and rookie Ryan Walker on the paternity list.
Bringing Schmitt back fills a need up the middle and comes at a point in which the 24-year-old infielder should have more confidence.
In his first 22 games, Schmitt hit .325 with two homers and six doubles. Although his aggressive, swing-first approach didn’t help him get on base, his bat-to-ball skills let him do damage when he made contact.
As opponents threw him more pitches out of the strike zone, Schmitt failed to adjust. He kept swinging, and kept striking out. In 44 games between June and July, Schmitt posted a .384 OPS while striking out 34 times compared to nine walks.
More recently, after going through the major slump, Schmitt tried to be a bit more selective. At some points, it looked like he may have started to turn a corner, but Brandon Crawford and Thairo Estrada returned from the IL, making his at-bats inconsistent. He said he felt caught between trying to get off his best swings and making smarter takes.
Schmitt had three hits in his last 30 MLB at-bats before getting sent to Sacramento. But with the River Cats, in a more hitter-friendly environment, he found his stroke once again.
In 10 games with the River Cats, Schmitt slashed .311/.354/.533. His elite glove and defensive versatility make him a viable option any time he’s swinging the bat even just a little bit, so those numbers should portend well for the infielder.
Schmitt rejoins the Giants in a time when Crawford is reportedly banged up and might need a couple extra off days. In terms of middle infield depth, the Giants have Thairo Estrada, Crawford and journeyman Johan Camargo.
The Giants have a TBD listed as their starter for Sunday’s series finale against Atlanta, and will likely have to cover at least two of their three games in Philadelphia thereafter without a true starting pitcher. If they do decide to call up top prospect Kyle Harrison — an option manager Gabe Kapler didn’t rule out — Hjelle would be a good candidate to get sent back down.