The San Francisco Giants recently made a series of roster moves in an effort to address their depleted infield depth caused by a string of injuries. One of those moves included calling up utility infielder Sergio Alcántara — but his stint was remarkably brief, lasting just a single game before he was designated for assignment.
Alcántara appeared only in Friday’s matchup against the Oakland Athletics, where he went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts and committed a fielding error at third base. It wasn’t the debut the Giants were hoping for, and his time with the team is likely already over.
The decision to part ways with Alcántara came as the Giants welcomed back their regular third baseman, Matt Chapman, who returned from a nearly month-long absence due to a right-hand injury. Chapman completed a short rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento before rejoining the major league roster.
The Giants have faced a string of bad luck with their infield this season. Shortly after Chapman landed on the IL, his replacement, Casey Schmitt, who had been swinging the bat well, suffered a hand injury after being hit by a pitch. Then Schmitt’s replacement, Christian Koss, also hit the IL with a hamstring issue despite performing well at the plate.
There is some good news, though, as Schmitt is expected to return soon, signaling that the Giants are starting to regain their health after a rough stretch.
As for Alcántara, he may clear waivers and return to Sacramento if another club doesn’t pick him up. He was batting just .206 before his promotion and hadn’t played in the majors since 2022, so there may be limited interest across the league.
Signed during the offseason as a depth option, Alcántara did bring defensive flexibility, being capable of playing third base, second, and shortstop. Known for his glove work, his error Friday came as a bit of a surprise — though even strong defenders can have off days.
If Friday ends up being his only appearance in a Giants uniform — which is likely with Brett Wisely, Christian Koss, and Tyler Fitzgerald ahead of him on the depth chart — his time with San Francisco will be quickly forgotten. Still, at least he got to enjoy the July 4th fireworks while it lasted.