Schmitt has Giants feeling ‘lucky' as he steps up in Chappy's absence originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
When Matt Chapman landed on the injured list Tuesday with a right hand sprain, it looked as though the Giants’ win streak could be in jeopardy with their home run leader and star third baseman sidelined.
But two games later and San Francisco now has won seven in a row, the latest another thrilling comeback victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night at Coors Field — and the player who has taken over for Chapman on the hot corner helped lead the 10-7 win.
Casey Schmitt got it done with the bat, the glove and on the base paths in the victory and is taking advantage of his chance to play every day with Chapman out. On a two-RBI night that also featured a Chapman-esque play at third, Schmitt scored the go-ahead run with a dazzling slide in the eighth inning after drawing a pivotal bases-loaded walk that gave the Giants belief they could come back yet again.
“You’re getting breaking ball after breaking ball, and then to be able to take a fastball for a ball on the last pitch, that’s a great at-bat,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the game of Schmitt’s “huge” walk. “And then the next time up, hits a ball in the hole and gets us another RBI. So, it’s a great opportunity for him, and he made a great play defensively.
“He’s got a real opportunity to do some good things while Chappy’s out. We’re lucky to have him.”
After Mike Yastrzemski drove in the tying run as San Francisco rallied in the eighth, Tyler Fitzgerald laid down a perfect bunt that allowed Schmitt to dive in under the tag at home. Though he initially was called out, Melvin successfully challenged the call and the comeback was complete.
“We knew we were going to bunt there,” Schmitt told Laura Britt and Ron Wotus on “Giants Postgame Live” after the win. “Talked to [Giants third base coach Matt Williams] before, just make sure I see it down. I saw it down and just took off, and luckily I got in there.”
Earlier in the fifth inning, Schmitt threw out Keston Hiura from foul territory after the grounder forced him to make a one-legged throw all the way across the diamond and into Jerar Encarnacion’s glove at first.
While Chapman and his Gold Glove are a tough act to follow, Schmitt is a stellar defender in his own right and earned the 2022 Minor League Baseball Gold Glove as the best defensive third baseman in the minors during his time with the Eugene Emeralds.
But now, he gets to take notes from one of the greatest ever to do it at the major-league level. And with Chapman himself expecting to miss more than 10 games, Schmitt will be able to learn plenty.
“I’m feeling good,” Schmitt told Britt and Wotus of returning to third base in Chapman’s absence. “Just there filling in for Chappy, and he’s right there helping me out with everything, too. I get to be out there, and I’m learning form the best as well. It’s been awesome just to be here and to be a part of it.”
The Giants are riding high, even though the wins haven’t come easy. Wednesday’s victory was their MLB-leading ninth comeback this season of three or more runs, and the first of their current win streak that they’ve won by more than one — and everyone is contributing.
Willy Adames, who has underproduced so far this season, is 4-for-7 with five RBI and five runs this series, and Schmitt had a big night in the Giants’ 6-5 series-opening win Tuesday, too, with a solo homer that put San Francisco back in the game. Jung Hoo Lee, who had hit a bit of a dry spell after a red-hot start, has scored five runs and smashed two triples in Colorado, just to name a few contributors.
The Giants also lost starting catcher Patrick Bailey to the 10-day IL with a neck strain earlier on Wednesday, but right now, they feel like they’re in every game — even with two of their best defensive players injured.
“You can never count us out,” Schmitt told Britt and Wotus. “Every time we step out there, we’re expecting a war. It’s just been so much fun, and we’re all sticking together. It’s been great to be able to come back in late games like that.”
