Projecting into the future can be tricking baseball, especially when you’re thinking about three years down the road.

The San Francisco Giants could have a lineup filled with young stars in 2028 — some that are known and some that are still working their way through the minors — according to Baseball America.

The publication has been working through each team’s Top 10 prospects in the offseason and along with that the site is also publishing what it believes will be each team’s everyday lineup and pitching rotation for 2028.

It’s a three-year lookahead based on what the Giants have and what they could have ready by then. So, one won’t find any current free agents on the list. Everyone here will be under team control entering 2028.

What sticks out in the everyday lineup is that just two players will be 30 or older in 2028 — third baseman Matt Chapman (35) and shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald (30). Chapman re-upped for six years and $151 million in September and Fitzgerald can’t be a free agent until 2030.

Other current Major League players in the everyday lineup include catcher Patrick Bailey, who will only be 27 in 2028 and is the team’s best catcher since new president of baseball operations Buster Posey. Marco Luciano, who would man second base, made his MLB debut in 2023. Grant McCray, a former third-round pick who made his debut in 2024, would play center field.

Heloit Ramos, who finally got a foothold in the Majors this year, projects as the designated hitter, though he has flex in the outfield.

The rest of the everyday players are in the minor leagues now, including 2023 first-round pick Bryce Eldridge, who is already at Triple-A and could debut in the Majors in 2025. He projects at first base.

Two of the Giants 2024 draft selections fill out the outfield, with first-round pick James Tibbs III in left field and third-round pick Dakota Jordan in right field.

The projected rotation is under team control and, like the everyday lineup, skews young, with only No. 1 starter Logan Webb set to be 30 or older in 2028.

Behind him are two starers that have already hit the Majors — No. 2 starter Kyle Harrison and No. 3 starter Hayden Birdsong.

The No. 4 starter is Carson Whisenhunt, who is projected to make his MLB debut in 2025 and is seen by MLB.com as the team’s best candidate for rookie of the year. Mason Black, the projected No. 5 starter, made his MLB debut in 2024.

The projected closer is Camilo Doval, who struggled last year but remains under team control.

(KRON) — The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is looking for a suspect tied to a stabbing on Thanksgiving night that left one person critically injured.

SFPD said officers responded to the 100 block of 1st St. at 8:52 p.m. Thursday for a report of a stabbing.

SFPD confirmed officers found a victim at the scene who was suffering from apparent stab wounds. They were taken to a nearby hospital for life-threatening injuries. 

Police said they detained a man at Market and Battery Streets who matched the description of the suspect, but later determined he was not connected to the stabbing. He was arrested after it was discovered that he was wanted for outstanding warrants.

Investigators said there have not yet been any arrests made in the stabbing investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the SFPD at 415-575-4444.

Free agency has started off with a bang for the San Francisco Giants, as they recently saw their top free-agent head to their arch rival. 

Coming into the offseason, the Giants knew that they were going to have a lot of work to do. With their new President of Baseball operations Buster Posey, the goal has been to improve a franchise that has missed the playoffs for three straight seasons and has fallen behind in the National League West. 

One player who San Francisco knew was going to be a hot commodity from their team in 2024 was starting pitcher Blake Snell. The Giants were able to sign the two-time Cy Young award winner to a very friendly contract just before spring training last season. 

However, likely due to the strange offseason and the lack of preparation, the southpaw got off to a really poor start to the season. After the All-Star break, when he got his feet under him, Snell became the pitcher the Giants expected him to be, as he had a (5-0) record and an ERA under 2.00 in the second half of the season. 

With a player option for 2025, Snell wisely declined that after the great second half, knowing he would get more guaranteed money in free agency. 

Well, that decision paid off, as Snell signed a five-year, $182 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

The 31-year-old signing with the Dodgers is certainly a tough pill to swallow for the Giants, but letting him walk could be the best thing for them. 

While the Giants do have hopes of a quick turnaround with Posey in charge, that is still unlikely. This could be a couple of year process for them to get the team in place to truly compete with a team like the Dodgers or the San Diego Padres. Even though Snell is a great pitcher and would help them win games, this is a team that needs a lot more. 

If the Giants were to bring Snell back at the number that he signed with Los Angeles, that likely would have meant that they would have made very minimal upgrades to a lineup that desperately needs to improve. 

Also, the move by the Dodgers to bring in Snell and pay them what they are paying him is to help them win more World Series now. That more than likely wouldn’t have been a realistic thing to expect for San Francisco, and by the time they were ready to, the left-hander might not be the same caliber of pitcher. 

Even though it might feel like a tough blow for the Giants, it could be what’s best for them in the long-run if they allocate their resources to the right areas.