Giants promote Osleivis Basabe from Triple-A

Basabe got the start at second base and drew the leadoff spot against the Rangers. He put the team on the board with a two-run homer off Chase Silseth to break the shutout, his third homer of the season in just 19 plate appearances. With Matt Chapman still sidelined with an abdomen injury and Casey Schmitt on the shelf after knee surgery, Basabe stands to see regular playing time in the infield for the Giants.

The Phillies will be mixing things all up to accommodate Arraez, with Bryson Stott moving to third, Alec Bohm going to first and Bryce Harper returning to the outfield for the first time since elbow surgery. It’s probably worth it to add Arraez to the lineup, though it would have been cheaper in prospect cost just to add an outfielder and keep the infield as it was. Arraez, a free agent at season’s end, should get a little value boost in Philly, though the ballpark upgrade probably doesn’t make much of a difference here like it would with a more traditional power hitter. The Giants will give Nate Furman and Osleivis Barabe looks at second base for now.

It was a 100 mph offering from Adrian Morejon, and Grant McCray took over as the pinch runner. Basabe told reporters that he’s feeling better, but the 25-year-old should be considered day-to-day.

Basabe only got the start because Luis Arraez was scratched due to cramping in his calf. He made the most of it, however, socking a two-run homer off Walker Buehler and tying the game in the eighth with an RBI double off Mason Miller; giving Miller his first blown save of 2026. Basabe is a former intriguing fantasy prospect, but despite this strong effort, there’s no real reason to have fantasy hope in his bat.

Even though we’re nearing the end of spring camp, there weren’t any real surprises among this group of cuts. Basabe, 25, performed well during Cactus League play, hitting .387 (12-for-31) with four RBI and an 8/1 K/BB ratio. He’ll start the year off as extra outfield depth at Triple-A Sacramento.

Basabe spent time on San Francisco’s 40-man roster last season but didn’t appear in the majors, slashing .249/.309/.412 with 14 homers and seven steals in 477 plate appearances over 125 games for Triple-A Sacramento. The 25-year-old was a notable prospect in Tampa Bay’s system a couple years ago and broke into the majors during the 2023 campaign when he got into 31 contests, hitting .218 (19-for-87) with one homer and 12 RBI. He’s merely emergency organizational depth at this juncture of his career.

No team put a claim in on the 24-year-old Basabe, who was viewed as a quality shortstop prospect a couple of years ago. He hit .296/.351/.426 in his first season in Triple-A in 2023 and played in 31 major league games for the Rays that year. Since then, though, he’s mostly struggled. The Giants acquired him over the winter after the Rays decided not to use a 40-man slot on him. Now no one thought he was worth having on the 40-man.

Basabe came over from the Rays in an offseason trade and hasn’t appeared in a game this year for San Francisco. The procedural move frees up a spot on the Giants’ 40-man roster for backup catcher Logan Porter.

Basabe was acquired from the Rays in February to add depth to the roster, and the 24-year-old will likely be up and down for the Giants in 2025.

The Rays had designated Basabe for assignment earlier this week, so the Giants swooped in and facilitated a trade. The 24-year-old was the ninth-ranked prospect in the Rays’ system last year and slashed .251/.309/.361 in 330 plate appearances with seven home runs and six steals in 78 games at Triple-A in 2024. He’s a strong defender at shortstop and third base, so he could compete for a back-up infield role in San Francisco.