Brett Wisely Is Playing His Way Into A Roster Spot

The 25-year-old utility player is showing that he belongs on the roster, even when veterans return from injury.

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The San Francisco Giants have dealt with lot a lot of injuries so far in this young season. Starters Blake Snell and Keaton Winn have dealt with injuries, and they've also seen regulars in the lineup in Nick Ahmed, Michael Conforto and Austin Slater hit the IL.

Because of this, they used the depth in the minors to replace them, which has begun something of a youth movement in The Bay. Luis Matos has mashed, posting a 12 RBI weekend and a Player of the Week award, Heliot Ramos has improved his walk rate by three percent and Marco Luciano has cut his strikeout rate from 37.8 percent to 19.2 percent.

Brett Wisely has been equally as impressive in his most recent call up, and due to injuries, he could play his way into staying on the roster. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in November of 2022, Wisely was up and down in 2023 and didn't do much to impress.

He had just a 38 OPS+ with two home runs and didn't hit the Mendoza Line, hitting .175. He didn't make the Opening Day Roster, with the utility role going to Tyler Fitzgerald out of the gate. To begin 2024, Wisely started in Triple-A, where he did nothing but hit. In 32 games, he hit .311 with an .890 OPS, four homers, seven doubles and a triple. He also had a great walk to strikeout rate, with 19 walks to just 21 strikeouts.

That earned him a call up when Nick Ahmed hit the injured list, and he eventually took over the utility role when Fitzgerald was sent down. Wisely has only played in eight games since his call up, but with Fitzgerald and Casey Schmitt being optioned, he has become one of the teams two shortstops.

The left-handed hitter went hitless in his first six at-bats, but he looks like he is heating up. In his last 11 at-bats, he has collected seven hits, including three RBIs and a homer. While it may be a small sample size, it's encouraging because of what he does on the defensive side.

Wisely has already played four positions in 2024, with the two most important being shortstop and centerfield. A player who can play two of the most valuable defensive positions on the field is going to be important to any team, particularly if he is going to continue to hit well.

Should Wisely keep hitting and make it too hard for the Giants to option him, Austin Slater may be in danger of being the one to lose his roster spot. Slater was placed on the seven day concussion IL on May 11, but he started his season by struggling mightily.

In 25 games, the 31-year-old hit .128 with a .434 OPS and no extra base hits, making him almost unplayable, despite being the platoon outfielder to face lefties. With Matos and Ramos playing as well as they are in the outfield, and Wisely heating up and being able to play the positions he does, Slater may be on the chopping block when the team gets healthy.

If San Francisco decides to keep Slater, recently acquired Ryan McKenna is another option, if the team wants to be faithful to the longest tenured Giant.

Regardless, Wisely's ability to play all over the field coupled with the fact that he looks more comfortable at the plate in 2024 makes him valuable, even if it is just off the bench or as a platoon player.