David Villar Seeing Extensive Playing Time In Camp
San Francisco Giants infielder David Villar is once again in the team's Cactus League lineup on Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, starting at first base and batting cleanup. This is already Villar's fifth game in spring training, and so far he's gone 2-for-7 with two doubles and a run scored in Cactus League action. The 27-year-old is battling for a utility infield role in camp entering the 2024 season, so even if he makes the Giants' Opening Day roster with a strong spring, he's unlikely to see consistent playing time. A horrendous start in the big leagues in 2023 got Villar sent back to the minors, where he hit 36 home runs in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in 2022. Villar has struck out over 30% of the time in the big leagues while rarely squaring the ball up.
The San Francisco Giants have demoted infielder David Villar to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The 26-year-old has suffered a horrible season at the dish, slashing .135/.222/.292 with four homers, 10 runs, 11 RBI, and one steal across 32 games after posting a .787 OPS over 52 contests in 2022. Villar had already lost playing time to J.D. Davis and Casey Schmitt, so this move won't affect many fantasy leagues.
San Francisco Giants third baseman David Villar was part of the home run onslaught in Monday's 12-3 win over the White Sox. The 26-year-old went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a grand slam, a walk, and a strikeout. As of now, the Giants seem to prefer Villar at third against right-handed pitching over Wilmer Flores. Villar did show power potential throughout his Minor League career, which makes him worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues at a shallow position. The Giants are known for mixing and matching their lineups, but Villar could be a fantasy asset if he continues to hit for power and can gain enough playing time.
San Francisco Giants infielder David Villar is getting another start at third base on Monday against the Chicago White Sox, and he's hitting sixth in the lineup against right-hander Michael Kopech. Villar is making his third straight start for the Giants against a righty, while Wilmer Flores will start on the bench for a third straight contest. As of now, the Gigantes seem to prefer Villar at the hot corner against right-handers over Flores, so fantasy managers in deeper leagues need to take note. The 26-year-old Villar has gone 2-for-10 with a run scored and three strikeouts in the first three games of the year, and he'll hold little DFS appeal on Monday.
San Francisco Giants third baseman David Villar's (hip) MRI exam revealed a mild hip-flexor strain. He will continue to be re-evaluated on a daily basis. Villar was scratched from the team's Cactus League lineup this weekend and remains out to begin the week. However, he's being listed as day-to-day and should be able to return to spring action before long. The 26-year-old made his major-league debut with the Giants last year and slashed .231/.331/.455 with a .787 OPS, nine home runs, 24 RBI and 21 runs scored in 181 plate appearances over 52 games. There's nothing really that stands out about Villar's offensive or defensive profile, making him mostly a target at the hot corner for depth in NL-only leagues.
