The San Francisco Giants experienced a predictable roster crisis Tuesday, when an abdominal strain forced third baseman Matt Chapman out of their 8-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, exacerbating an already precarious infield situation.
Chapman's injury flared up after bothering him for more than a month. With Willy Adames already unavailable due to back spasms, the Giants were left with no backup infielders on their roster. This led to outfielder Jonah Cox taking the field at second base for the first time since college, while Luis Arraez shifted to third.
Manager Tony Vitello had previously dismissed such a scenario as hypothetical, but the reality of being shorthanded became unavoidable. "More than likely one way or another [Christian] Koss is involved," Vitello stated, indicating potential roster moves.
The Giants had opted not to activate an infielder earlier. After activating outfielder Heliot Ramos on Monday, they traded Buddy Kennedy to the Mariners for cash, resulting in a roster with six outfielders and no reserve infielders. This decision proved untenable when both Chapman and Adames became unavailable.
Chapman indicated he had been managing abdominal discomfort since May, describing it as "hot and cold." The pain significantly worsened during Tuesday's game, particularly during a barehanded play in the sixth inning.
Cox, initially on standby, entered the game at second base in the bottom of the seventh after Chapman showed signs of distress during his at-bat. Though Cox had not played the infield extensively since college, he had been practicing at the position with infield coach Ron Washington. He successfully made a diving play shortly after entering the game.
"I kind of blacked out a little bit," Cox said of his unexpected infield appearance. "It’s one of those things where I’m happy it wasn’t a routine play because there wasn’t much time to think on that one."
Chapman, watching from the clubhouse, was impressed by Cox's performance. "He looked good over there," Chapman said. "It’s like riding a bike for him."
Chapman is expected to undergo an MRI on Wednesday and is a strong candidate for the injured list. He was already scheduled to miss a few days this weekend for the birth of his son. The team's decision to avoid placing Adames on the injured list, hoping to keep him rested until after Thursday's off day, has left them managing with one fewer player.
Cox, who has carried an infielder's glove with him since his minor league days, has long aspired to be a versatile player. He previously played second base for four innings in a Single-A game due to a series of injuries on that team.
Despite the unusual circumstances, the fielding change did not impact the outcome of the game, which the Giants already trailed significantly.