Bryce Eldridge News: Staying at 1B after Devers trade

President of baseball operations Buster Posey said Tuesday that the Giants plan to continue developing Eldridge as a first baseman after San Francisco acquired Rafael Devers from the Red Sox on Sunday, Ali Thanawalla of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. "I see [Eldridge's] development path as the same," Posey said during Devers' introductory press conference. "He's going to keep playing first, keep developing at the plate. It's a conversation Raffy and I have had already about Bryce and the future we potentially see him having. Par for the course for him, going forward."

Though Boston had been using Devers exclusively at designated hitter this season, both Posey and manager Bob Melvin said that the 28-year-old will eventually get some exposure to first base, where he could end up settling as an everyday player if he proves he can handle the position. Even at first base, Eldridge is viewed as a low-end defender, so moving him to a corner-outfield spot in an effort to expedite his arrival to the majors doesn't seem to be under serious consideration. The 20-year-old profiles as an enticing long-term fantasy asset due to his power potential, and he already mashed his way to Triple-A Sacramento earlier in June, overcoming a spring wrist injury to generate a .862 OPS in 34 games at Double-A Richmond. He's struggled out of the gate at Sacramento with a .143/.213/.286 with a 34 percent strikeout rate through 11 contests, and his slow start plus the acquisition of Devers and the quality production the Giants have received from Dominic Smith (.919 OPS in 11 games) so far this month seem likely to delay Eldridge's big-league debut. Eldridge is still seen as the Giants' first baseman of the future, but his chances of being a meaningful fantasy contributor in 2025 appear to be fading.