KANSAS CITY -- A move that felt inevitable was finally set into motion Saturday prior to the Giants' game against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium: Marco Luciano is going to start getting some work in the outfield.

After struggling mightily to establish himself as a passable defender in the middle infield, the Giants optioned the 23-year-old rookie to Triple-A Sacramento to clear a spot on the 28-man roster for third baseman Matt Chapman, who returned from paternity leave following the birth of his daughter, Gia, earlier this week.

With only two games remaining on Sacramento’s schedule, Luciano is expected to head to the Giants’ player development complex in Arizona and start getting some looks in the outfield, which most scouts believe will be the best defensive fit for him in the long run.

“He’s open to it,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Maybe it increases a little versatility for him. It takes a little pressure off him, too.”

Luciano had been developed as an infielder since receiving a $2.6 million signing bonus from the Giants as an amateur free agent out of his native Dominican Republic in 2018, but his spotty defense prevented him from succeeding Brandon Crawford, prior to his departure this season, as the club’s everyday shortstop. After Luciano committed five errors in his first nine games at the position during a brief callup in May, the Giants decided to try him at second base, where he hasn’t fared much better.

The Giants said they planned to give Luciano more opportunities to settle into the new position after outrighting Thairo Estrada to Triple-A Sacramento, but Luciano started at second in only seven of the club’s last 16 games and had begun to lose playing time to Brett Wisely and Donovan Walton. Melvin had said he planned to give Luciano more opportunities now that the Giants had been officially eliminated from postseason contention, but the club felt it was better to change course and give him a headstart on his transition to the outfield instead.

Luciano’s defensive woes were compounded by the fact that he also struggled to make much of an impact at the plate for the Giants this year. He’s long been viewed as a bat-first prospect, but he ended up hitting only .211 with a .562 OPS and zero home runs over 27 games in 2024.

“When you get off to a rough start defensively, it can filter into your entire game, and maybe it has some,” Melvin said. “We’ll kind of see how it goes. You gain confidence, you swing the bat, you’re in a different position. I think anything is on the table for him.”

The Giants have drawn plenty of criticism from fans for their handling of Luciano this year, but Melvin said the young hitter has stayed professional and tried to take the ups and downs in stride.

“His attitude’s been great,” Melvin said. “He’s been great with me. Every time I’ve had to talk to him in situations like today, he’s all in on whatever we want to do. That part I appreciate. Has it been tough on him? Sure. This is the big leagues. Casey [Schmitt] performed well when he was here. You have to reward that, too.”