DENVER — Giants manager Gabe Kapler had before Monday’s series opener against the Rockies what he described as “one of the most challenging discussions” he’s had as a major league skipper.
Kapler had to inform 26-year-old outfielder Luis González that he was headed back to Triple-A Sacramento, despite a massively impressive debut patching holes over the past three weeks with the big club. González was optioned Monday to clear space for second baseman Tommy La Stella, who was activated from the injured list and made his season debut.
“He was a great teammate. He was very competitive. For all of those reasons, it’s going to come as a surprise,” Kapler said. “Even if you were very in tuned with what’s happening with the roster. Even if you’re in Luis’ position and you know that Tommy La Stella is coming back, in your brain, you’re performing very well and you feel like you’re making contributions to the team. Those are always going to be challenging conversations.
“Of course I explained that to Luis, and of course he was a pro and understood it, and of course there was some natural disappointment because he’s a human being who played really well and was having a great time.”
As difficult as it was to break the news to González, who homered off Albert Pujols and pitched Sunday night in somewhat of a parting gift, Kapler was equally enthused about the addition of La Stella, who he said was “kind of the epitome of what we want our hitters to do.”
“Tommy’s one of the better plate appearances in baseball. It’s just as simple as that,” Kapler said. “Make a lot of contact, drive the baseball occasionally, draw a walk here and there and keep the line moving, which Tommy does exceptionally well.”
La Stella, who had offseason surgery on the sheath of his right Achilles tendon, had appeared in nine games during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Sacramento, batting .310/.429/.586 with two home runs.
He was cleared to return after playing the field for nine innings in back-to-back games, then going 2-for-2 as a designated hitter the next day.
“I feel comfortable and hopefully I can keep it rolling,” La Stella said. “As far as showing what I can do, I try not to think along those lines, necessarily, but it’s definitely nice to be back.”
The 33-year-old second baseman was slotted in to the eighth hole and served as the Giants designated hitter in his season debut Monday night against the Rockies.
Various ailments limited La Stella to only 76 games last season, posting his lowest OPS in six seasons, in the first year of his three-year, $18.75 million contract, but the Giants are hopeful he can start to make good on that deal and add length to a lineup that is, finally, about what they envisioned to have on Opening Day.
After La Stella, LaMonte Wade Jr. and Evan Longoria opened the season on the injured list, all three were in the lineup for the first time Monday night.
Thairo Estrada, who has filled in for La Stella at second base, got another start there as the Giants eased La Stella back in with a start at DH. But he will soon transition in to more of a utility role, including acting as the backup shortstop after San Francisco shipped Mauricio Dubón to Houston this weekend. His OPS in his full-time role this season (.611) is 200 points lower than what he posted last year in more of a platoon role (.813) with almost equal number of plate appearances.
“Like we always do, we’ll put the pieces of the puzzle together,” Kapler said. “I have no doubt that we’ll figure this all out and our players will get the reps that they need.”
González, for his part, was batting .349 with 15 RBIs in 22 games with the Giants. He called his experience Sunday night, pitching and homering off Albert Pujols, “a good time” and “kind of a wild night.” He was able to retrieve the home run ball as a personal souvenier, which he said on social media, “is going up on a shelf for sure.”
But not 24 hours later, González faced the same fate as any number of young players in the Giants organization who still have minor-league options. Like many of them, too, he will certainly be back in San Francisco again.
“It’s part of breaking into the league, establishing yourself as a major league player and being a player with options,” Kapler said.
