Snell included on Giants' 2024 Opening Day roster

SAN DIEGO -- The Giants’ 2024 Opening Day roster featured a few surprises, with left-hander Blake Snell and catcher Joey Bart listed among the 26 players who will be active against the Padres at Petco Park on Thursday.

San Francisco opted to carry 12 pitchers and 14 position players for its regular-season opener, giving the club an extra spot for Bart, who will serve as the third catcher behind Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy. Snell wasn’t expected to be ready for Opening Day after joining the Giants last week, but he’s in San Diego and could be an option to start against the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Shortstop Marco Luciano, outfielder Luis Matos and right-hander Daulton Jefferies were among the most notable snubs, though the Giants’ roster is likely to continue to evolve over the first week of the regular season.

Here’s the full roster breakdown:

Catcher (3): Patrick Bailey, Tom Murphy, Joey Bart
Bart, 27, is out of options, so the Giants will try to hold on to him as long as possible and potentially try to sneak him through waivers after other teams set their rosters.

First baseman (1): LaMonte Wade Jr.
Wade didn’t disappoint after succeeding Brandon Belt as the Giants’ primary first baseman last year, using his elite eye to finish eighth in the National League with a .373 on-base percentage. He also ranked third on the team with 17 home runs and will be counted on to be a key source of left-handed pop in 2024.

Second baseman (1): Thairo Estrada
Despite missing a month with a left hand fracture, Estrada led all Giants position players with 3.9 fWAR in 2023, when he set career highs in hits (134), doubles (26) and stolen bases (23) and matched his personal best in homers (14).

Shortstop (1): Nick Ahmed
The Giants wanted Luciano to establish himself as their new everyday shortstop this spring, but the 22-year-old rookie dealt with a right hamstring issue earlier in camp and was slow to get going at the plate. He began to heat up in the last week, but the Giants still opted to turn the job over to Ahmed, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner who could be counted on to provide steady defense up the middle.

Third baseman (1): Matt Chapman
San Francisco’s outlook at third changed quite dramatically following the addition of Chapman, a four-time Gold Glover who joined the club on a one-year, $18 million contract earlier this month. Chapman is expected to bring right-handed pop and further elevate the Giants’ infield defense, though his arrival prompted them to cut ties with his former Cal State Fullerton teammate J.D. Davis, who was released after going unclaimed on outright waivers.

Outfielders (4): Jung Hoo Lee, Michael Conforto, Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Slater
The Giants' current outfield configuration won't last long, as Yastrzemski is likely to go on the paternity list on Friday, which could create an opening for the hot-hitting Matos to get his first opportunity with the club.

Designated hitter (1): Jorge Soler
Soler will serve as the everyday DH after joining San Francisco on a three-year, $42 million contract. Soler can also play the corner outfield, but the Giants don’t plan to use him there much since they want to give him the best chance at staying healthy.

Utility (2): Wilmer Flores, Tyler Fitzgerald
Soler’s arrival will likely cost Flores some at-bats, but the 32-year-old veteran still figures to see plenty of playing time after emerging as the Giants’ best hitter in 2023. Fitzgerald’s ability to play center field, shortstop and second base earned him a utility spot, especially since he can also provide some much-needed speed off the bench.

Starting rotation (5): Logan Webb, Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, Keaton Winn, Blake Snell
Winn was briefly shut down with right elbow soreness and stayed behind in Arizona to continue ramping up for the regular season, but he showed enough progress to merit a spot on the Opening Day roster. Same goes for Snell, who is expected to pitch in Minor League game on Friday before potentially making his Giants debut at Los Angeles next week. Since Snell likely won't be ready the first turn through the rotation, the Giants could promote pitching prospect Mason Black to pitch the fourth game of the regular season on Sunday.

Bullpen (7): Camilo Doval, Tyler Rogers, Taylor Rogers, Luke Jackson, Ryan Walker, Landen Roupp, Erik Miller
The Giants' bullpen will feature a pair of rookies in Roupp and Miller, who could be in line to make their Major League debuts at Petco Park this weekend. Roupp hasn't pitched above Double-A Richmond, but he recorded a 2.25 ERA with 13 strikeouts over eight innings in four Cactus League appearances and missed a ton of bats with a spectacular curveball that’s viewed as one of the best breaking balls in the organization. Miller will serve as the second lefty relief option behind Taylor Rogers.