The San Francisco Giants' 2024 season kicks off this Thursday, yet there are still several burning questions ahead of Opening Day. Most notably, perhaps, is the question of whether Nick Ahmed or Marco Luciano will crack the roster as the Opening Day shortstop for the Giants. Ahmed has been great for the SF Giants all spring, but Luciano has come on very strong as camp has wound down. The Giants could add Ahmed to the roster and option Luciano. It's possible Ahmed could opt out of his SF Giants deal if he doesn't make the Opening Day squad. That might make optioning Luciano more likely, otherwise going with Luciano and having Ahmed in Triple-A could be appealing as well.
Another key situation is what will happen with Luis Matos. Matos came into camp for the Giants having put on over 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason, and he's had a torrid spring. A lot of fans understandably want Matos on the Opening Day team, but the Giants' outfield is crowded. Austin Slater's elbow, however, could open the door for Matos. Slater had surgery in October but has been limited this spring and has trouble bouncing back after games. If he can't start the season with the Giants, Matos will get a real shot right out of the gates (in a limited role to start).
Finally, there are several open spots up for grabs on the pitching staff, particularly with Blake Snell, Alex Cobb, and Robbie Ray out to start the season. Snell and Cobb should be back not too long from now, but they won't start the season with the Giants. Juan Sanchez appears likely to make the team as the Giants' second lefty reliever. Keaton Winn, Mason Black, and Landen Roupp appear to be the most likely candidates to round out the San Francisco Giants' Opening Day pitching staff.
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The best daily San Francisco Giants podcast. Whether the Giants are winning championships or retooling for another title run, Locked On Giants host Ben Kaspick—a lifelong Giants fan and former contributor for RotoGraphs and Beyond the Box Score—breaks down every game, rumor, and transaction in a way that's data-driven and rational but also simple, passionate, and accessible to all.
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