Why Bryce Eldridge, Giants’ top prospect, is not in everyday lineup: ‘Conversations to be had’

LOS ANGELES — Eldridge Industries is an investment firm co-founded by a member of the Dodgers’ ownership group. The name can be found in seemingly every nook and cranny of Dodger Stadium: The new ribbon board, a permanent outfield sign, an ad behind home plate.

And, until the very last batter the Giants brought to the plate Monday night, that was the only place the name Eldridge appeared on the field of play.

Bryce Eldridge, the Giants’ top prospect, rode the pine for a second straight game until manager Tony Vitello sent him out with two outs in the ninth to the on-deck circle, where the would-be pinch-hitter watched Luis Arraez make their last out of a 9-3 romp over their archrivals.

Afterward, Vitello affirmed Eldridge would be in the starting lineup the following night against Yoshinobu Yamamoto. But before first pitch, the rookie manager all but confirmed such opportunities would be few and far between despite the prospect’s pedigree.

“He’s definitely not gonna get the amount of at-bats that he would get if he was on the minor-league team and he was the key ingredient in the middle of the order,” Vitello said of the 21-year-old first baseman, who was doing just that before his promotion last week.

Eldridge’s 6-foot-7 frame had produced a .333 batting average and .963 OPS playing everyday at Triple-A Sacramento. Since being called up in an attempt to ignite the majors’ most anemic lineup, however, his name has only been in it slightly more often than not — four of a possible seven games.

“It is what it is,” Eldridge told The California Post. “Obviously it’s a little bit different from what I was doing in Triple-A, but I’m here to help the team win. Whatever I can do to help.”

Eldridge told the Post that he arrived with no expectations of playing everyday but that he was “trying to still figure out a routine” to continue his development — and stay sharp — as possibly the largest little fish in a big pond that has ever existed.

He said he is waiting to hear from the organization about its plans for him.

“I think there’s definitely some conversations to be had,” he said. “I’m going to continue to be open with them and hopefully they’re open with me as well. … Whenever we get a chance to talk about a plan for me and whatnot, we’ll talk about that when time comes around.

“We’ll figure it out.”

Vitello was offered the chance to clarify Eldridge’s role when he was posed the question before Monday’s game. After launching his first big-league home run on a hop into McCovey Cove, the lefty slugger was left out of the lineup the next two games against right-handed starters.

“His role? A threat,” Vitello said. The most the manager could commit to was that Eldridge was “here for the long haul” and that “a three-day window of him not getting action would be a painful pill to swallow.”

The conundrum: Eldridge’s possible positions are occupied by Rafael Devers, who homered for his third time in five games, and Casey Schmitt, their best bat so far this season.

Schmitt can move around the infield, but that would require sitting either highly paid veterans Willy Adames or Matt Chapman, or Luis Arraez, who has been an asset at second base.

“As much of a threat as Bryce is, our biggest threat is Rafi. Our best producer so far has been Casey,” Vitello said. “That triangle of bodies there, it does make it a little bit of a puzzle to solve.”

It’s a puzzle of the Giants’ own creation.

Few observers would have batted an eye had Eldridge made the Opening Day roster, and he could have helped cover the field while Devers was limited to DHing for the first two weeks of the season. But he was sent to Triple-A in order to cut down on his strikeouts and get more experience at first base, a position he picked up only a few years ago.

There, his numbers popped off the page. Except he was still striking out at the same clip.

Now, he must do most of that work in the batting cage. Most of the intricacies of playing first base will have to be taught in pregame fielding drills. Devers will get the lion’s share of the starts.

“The development part is not going to be slowed at all,” Vitello said.

Vitello used Sunday’s game as a model, when Eldridge pinch-hit for Schmitt in extra innings and took over for him in the field. He got a second plate appearance later in extras.

“I think for his development, you pop in two at-bats with a lot on the line, those might be worth more than regular at-bats in a game,” Vitello said. “I’m hopeful it would be almost every game he at least gets one at-bat. That isn’t how Barry Bonds got into a rhythm everyday, but I do think that is consistent enough appearances and preparation and things like that, seeing live pitching, to where he can stay in the necessary rhythm to do what he’s capable of doing.”

Only a few hours later, however, Vitello was incapable of finding Eldridge a single at-bat in a game that was the Dodgers’ most lopsided loss of the season.

“He leaves the game standing on deck, so you regret maybe not doing it in another spot or two,” Vitello said.

In other words, perhaps the Giants could be more industrious with this long-term investment.

“I do think it’s a good idea, even if it’s a random situation, to try and tally up some at-bats,” Vitello said. “Because ‘the future is bright’ is an understatement. I think anything to do justice by his development is smart. But also, we’re trying to win games.”

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