SF will be 'aggressive' with expanded roster

ATLANTA -- As the Giants approach September, they will have a new challenge ahead: slightly expanded rosters.

Before 2020, teams could add anyone on their 40-man roster to their 26-man active roster in September, and rosters remained at 28 players last season during the final month. But this season, the 26-man will expand by just two players.

One of the Giants’ big strengths this season has been their flexibility, which was on display Saturday in their win over the Braves. Adding two more players won’t reinvent the wheel, but it will strengthen the strategies they’re already using.

“We are going to use both our bullpen and bench aggressively, so it’s helpful to have more players to deploy,” manager Gabe Kapler said.

“If you have one more bullpen arm, that means you can be one more player more aggressive out of the bullpen. if you have one more bench player, you can be that much more aggressive.”

One of the roster additions will be obvious. Third baseman Evan Longoria is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list on Aug. 31. He would be added to the roster no matter how many spots were available, but expanded rosters will also allow the team to keep a versatile bat like Darin Ruf or Austin Slater on the bench.

Donovan Solano will also be eligible to return from the COVID-19 IL on Sept. 5, and he would be a straightforward addition.

Traditionally, teams would add a third catcher, but Kapler said that it’s not given that they’ll promote Chadwick Tromp or Joey Bart, the team’s No. 2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. They also lack a true shortstop on the active roster (to back up Brandon Crawford) after optioning Thairo Estrada, who won’t be eligible to return to San Francisco for 10 days, barring an injury or doubleheader. Mauricio Dubón could also be another option at short.

Although the smaller expansion will be an adjustment, Major League teams will have the added bonus of the Minor League season continuing through mid-September, due to its delayed start. Players who don’t crack the 28-man roster will still be able to play in order to keep them in game shape -- just like they would at any other time of the season.

“Because we’re also conditioned to think of September as the roster expansion time, and we are expanding, but by two players,” Kapler said, “probably a healthier way to think about it is we’re going to manage our roster in September very similar to the way we’ve managed our roster to this point.”