The San Francisco Giants can sketch out a 2027 Opening Day lineup right now, but plenty of the picture is still soft around the edges. There’s enough talent in the organization to put names in almost every spot, yet several jobs are far from settled before Tony Vitello ever fills out a card with real confidence.
This first pass assumes everyone projected here is healthy for Opening Day and looks at one possible order against a right-handed starter. Even then, the lineup is only partially locked in. Second base, left field and catcher all read as open competitions, and the first base/DH split still needs to be defined.
Eldridge looks like an easy fit near the top after posting a .269/.364/.461 line in 2026. Slipping him into the two-hole would put his on-base ability right in front of Devers, which is a clean fit on paper. Lee gets the first crack at leadoff in this version, though that could change quickly if the Giants add a better on-base option over the winter.
The first base and designated hitter setup is one of the more interesting decisions. Giving Eldridge regular work at first keeps him involved defensively while Devers handles most of the DH starts.
San Francisco could still shuffle those duties back and forth, but that’s the basic shape here. Adames, meanwhile, is still the expected shortstop.
Devers and Chapman both appear in the projection because their recoveries point toward being ready for spring training. That said, their inclusion comes with the obvious caveat: this only works if rehab keeps moving without a setback.
At second base, Schmitt opens as the leading candidate after hitting .271/.301/.483 with 21 home runs in 2026. His knee recovery leaves the door open, though, and Marcelo Mayer’s timeline matters too.
A pitching addition could also change the equation, since that would strengthen the case for moving Schmitt out of the mix entirely. If Schmitt does get dealt, Mayer would have a clearer path, but he still has to win the job.
Left field is just as unsettled. Davidson’s 29 minor league home runs make him a real candidate for a longer look, but his limited major league experience keeps the competition alive. Drew Gilbert and Victor Bericoto are among the internal alternatives, and a veteran signing could push the Giants toward a platoon or a different answer altogether.
Bericoto’s right-handed bat could become more relevant if the Giants are facing a left-handed starter. Matchups would also affect the leadoff spot and the way Vitello lines up the rest of the order, especially in the middle.
Center field remains conditional because of Bader’s foot recovery, even though he is still under contract and expected to be ready for spring training. If he can’t handle the position on a regular basis, Gilbert and Jonah Cox are there as alternatives.
Behind the plate, Susac gets the early edge because of his defense, assuming his knee is healed enough to catch every day. He is coming back from a fractured left kneecap, and the position is still wide open.
Drew Cavanaugh and Jesús Rodríguez are also in the picture. The final call will come down to medical clearance, defense and how each catcher works with the pitching staff.
This is only the starting point. Bigger player acquisitions, trades, non-tenders or changes in a projected starter’s health could reshape the lineup entirely, changing both the nine names and the batting order around them.
In Other News...
Giants Face A Real Jess Rodrguez Problem Heading Into 2027
Jess Rodrguez arrived in San Francisco in 2026 with the kind of bat that can make a team keep looking for ways to fit him into the lineup. The Giants saw enough offensive promise in his debut to know he is worth the conversation, but his path forward is more complicated because his work behind the plate and in the outfield has not yet matched what he can do at the plate.
The issue now is finding a defensive home that makes sense without blocking him from helping the major league club. Catcher is the position he knows best from the minors, yet first base and third base are largely spoken for, which leaves the Giants weighing options heading into 2027 and trying to determine where Rodrguez can eventually provide value every day. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Trade Could Haunt San Francisco Far Longer Than Fans Expected
The Rafael Devers deal was always going to be measured against more than just what the Giants got back in the moment, and the early returns have only made that harder on San Francisco. In 2025, the club sent Kyle Harrison, Jordan Hicks, Jose Bello and prospect James Tibbs III to Boston, hoping the swap would reshape the roster in a hurry and give the lineup a marquee middle-order bat.
Instead, the long view is starting to look more complicated for the Giants. Harrison has settled in nicely with the Brewers, Hicks has taken a step forward as a reliever with the White Sox and Tibbs has been productive in the Dodgers system, which leaves San Francisco not just tracking Devers, but also wondering how much value it may have given away in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Have An October Pitching Question That Could Shape 2027
The Giants know the pitching picture is going to need attention again, and the conversation starts with a staff that finished 23rd in baseball with a 4.34 ERA in 2026. That kind of number leaves little doubt about where the pressure points are heading into the winter, especially for a team trying to sort out how to get back to a more reliable level on the mound.
One route is the free-agent market, where Nick Martinez, Shawn Armstrong and JoJo Romero stand out as possible fits for San Francisco in 2027. Each brings a different recent track record and a different way to help a staff that needs more stability, and the Giants will have to decide whether one of them is the kind of answer that can actually move the needle or just part of a larger reset. [Read more 🡒]