Bader sidelined with hamstring tightness, San Francisco Giants' outfield competition continues

The San Francisco Giants welcomed back Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee, and Harrison Bader from the World Baseball Classic this week, hoping to reassemble their starting outfield lineup. However, the trio playing together will likely have to wait a bit longer.

The Giants announced today that Bader has been placed on the daily observation list due to left hamstring tightness. Nevertheless, manager Tony Vitello expressed optimism about the Gold Glove center fielder being ready for next week's Opening Day.

"He's doing well, progressing nicely," Vitello said. "He's getting close to a point where we feel comfortable. I'm not sure, but if you ask him, he might feel he's not quite ready yet because he wants to play every day. He's very professional; when you take him out after two or three at-bats, he stays on the sidelines watching extra innings. But if you ask if he wants to play all nine innings every day, he definitely does—I think that's a good thing, especially as the regular season approaches."

During Bader's absence, the Giants faced the Kansas City Royals in today's spring training split-squad game, starting Luis Matos alongside Ramos and Lee. Matos has no minor league option remaining, but his chances of making the Opening Day roster increased after the team sent top prospect Bryce Eldridge down to Triple-A Sacramento yesterday.

The Giants' Opening Day opponent will be Yankees left-hander Max Fried, making it a reasonable choice to include Matos and another right-handed hitting outfielder, Jerar Encarnacion, on the 26-man roster. Both Matos and Encarnacion have no remaining options and are the main contenders for backup outfield spots. Additionally, Will Brennan, Drew Gilbert, and non-roster invite Jared Oliva are also under evaluation.

Brennan and Gilbert are both left-handed hitters, but Gilbert's status has been delayed due to a left shoulder impingement. Oliva hasn't appeared in the majors since 2021, but with his disruptive speed, he's a notable bench candidate. As of today, he leads the Cactus League with 13 stolen bases in 18 games.

Another non-roster outfielder, Victor Bericoto, has also impressed this spring, but today he was reassigned to minor league spring training camp along with right-hander Gregory Santos and infielder Osleivis Basabe. Before being sent down, Bericoto received the 2026 Barney Nugent Award, given to the most outstanding player in his first Giants spring training camp.

Bericoto played 110 games combined in rookie ball, Double-A Richmond, and Triple-A Sacramento in 2025, batting .271 with an .791 OPS and 15 home runs. This spring, he became one of the hottest hitters for the Giants, batting .474 with a 1.264 OPS and the team's highest three home runs in his first 19 Cactus League games, positioning him for a potential major league call-up this season.

Vitello believes Bericoto's experience in the Venezuelan Winter League helped prepare him for spring training. The 24-year-old played 31 games for the Caracas Lions during the offseason, batting .340 with an .851 OPS.

"I think the Winter League prepared him for all this," Vitello said. "He trains extremely hard and doesn't want to be outdone by anyone. He's eager for opportunities. We all know, with his experience, he'll reach the majors sooner or later. I told him he will definitely play in the majors, that's certain. I hope I'll still be coaching him when that happens."

Santos, with his explosive pitching ability, was considered a strong contender for the Giants' Opening Day bullpen. However, he missed significant time due to personal matters away from the spring training camp. Ultimately, he only appeared in four Cactus League games, but with his triple-digit fastball and devastating slider, he still has the chance to contribute in the bullpen this season.

"I think the key is trusting his power," Vitello said. "Not every pitcher can say that. Some might need to add other weapons, but he truly has power. If he just tries to overpower hitters with it, it will work most of the time."