The Giants' future is here, and Duane Kuiper likes what he sees.
San Francisco's longtime broadcaster stopped by the latest episode of the "Giants Talk" podcast, where he told hosts Alex Pavlovic and Cole Kuiper how rookies like Luis Matos, Patrick Bailey and Casey Schmitt have breathed new life into the franchise.
"You keep bringing up guys that deliver energy when you need it, and that’s exactly what Bailey, Schmitt and Matos have done," Kuiper said. "I don’t know how many more guys that you can grab from down there to fill in the spots, but boy, have they helped. And the energy has been really fantastic."
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The Giants' minor league depth has come in clutch during the 2023 MLB season. Schmitt was called up to play infield in early May after Brandon Crawford went on the injured list. And Bailey got his opportunity just over a week later when Joey Bart landed on the IL.
Then, last week, Matos was elevated to the big leagues when Mitch Haniger sustained a fractured ulna in St. Louis that will keep him out 10 weeks. Like Schmitt and Bailey, Matos is making the most of his shot so far and even contributing to MLB history along the way.
After a disappointing 2022 season in the minors thanks in part to injury, Matos' red-hot numbers in Double- and Triple-A this year earned him the promotion. With the Giants, the 21-year-old outfielder has posted a .429 on-base percentage through five games so far and became the first MLB player ever to walk at least five times and score at least six runs through his first three games.
For Kuiper, Matos' transformation from spring training to now is clear.
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"We saw Matos in spring training, and we saw a guy that looked like a young minor league guy," Kuiper said. "And then he shows up here, and he looks like a young major league guy, just by the way he walks around. He’s so fluid in center field. It’s really fun to watch him catch a routine fly ball.
"He’s got a little bit of flair, right? And he’s 21."
The Giants failed to sign superstars such as Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa this offseason, but their veterans, free-agent signings and a brand new crop of talent have won 21 of their last 30 games and will look to extend their current winning streak to nine Tuesday against the San Diego Padres.
Kuiper believes after an offseason of disappointment, Giants fans are beginning to "buy in" to what's happening on the field.
"Just keep plugging along, and these guys that are plugging in for the injured guys, they keep competing and doing well ... It's contributions like that that they're getting to help them win these games," Kuiper said.