Sf Giants: 3 things to watch as Vitello begins Cactus League play

The sf giants begin Cactus League play with rookie manager Tony Vitello making his spring-training debut and Hayden Birdsong scheduled to take the mound for the first inning of the opener. The exhibitions, which start with a game in Peoria, Ariz., will provide the first concrete data Vitello can use before finalizing the mix for Opening Day on March 25 at home against the New York Yankees.

Sf Giants: three things to watch

First, how Vitello adapts to a spring-training environment he has never experienced is central. He has said he does not know how a Cactus League exhibition will feel, and his first lineup cards and in-person interactions with pitchers and position players will shape early impressions. Second, bullpen roles are unsettled; the organization described the relief corps as "wide open, " so early outings and pitch data will matter. Third, the club will be monitoring prospects and fringe roster candidates closely — performances in Peoria and subsequent exhibitions will influence who makes the Opening Day roster and who begins the year in Triple-A Sacramento.

Roster projection: Eldridge or Birdsong?

The roster projection centers on two youth stories highlighted for the spring. Bryce Eldridge is described as the organization’s most promising hitting prospect since the franchise’s veteran-era benchmark and is expected to start the season in Triple-A Sacramento so he can continue work on his defense at first base and face upper-level pitching. The coverage frames his path as one where he likely has to force his way onto the big-league club with power production this spring rather than lose a job he would otherwise hold.

Hayden Birdsong will get an immediate look on the mound, taking the first inning of the Cactus League opener. That assignment gives Birdsong an opportunity to showcase his readiness in a game setting while Vitello begins to accumulate the pitch data and box-score evidence he said he needs. Either outcome — Eldridge’s push for a roster spot or Birdsong’s early showing — will be weighed against a mostly settled lineup and rotation, a bench with a few permutations, and a bullpen that remains undecided.

Spring training broadcast schedule

Preseason coverage has been modernized: every Cactus League stadium mentioned in recent coverage is equipped with Statcast gear and there are more televised and webcasted exhibition games than in the past. The complete preseason schedule includes dates, times and broadcast plans; some games will be carried by the team’s regional broadcasters, some will be webcasts, and others will be carried by opposing-team broadcasts or subscription services. The schedule is subject to change, and the club’s preseason slate leads directly into Opening Day: less than 24 hours after the final exhibition against an invited opponent, the Giants will host the Yankees in the first game of the 2026 major-league season.

• Key takeaways: Vitello’s first spring will set his early roster instincts; Eldridge is likely to start in Triple-A unless he forces the issue; Birdsong gets an immediate look in the opener.

Additional roster notes from spring projections name Patrick Bailey and Daniel Susac as the catchers currently slotted for the active roster, with Jesús Rodríguez and Eric Haase next in line. Bailey won a second consecutive National League Gold Glove Award, and Susac arrived the Rule 5 process, which carries roster implications if he does not remain on the active roster. Infield depth lists include established regulars and a short list of players next in line, while the front office’s early priorities are defense behind the plate and matching catchers with pitchers.

As the exhibitions proceed in Peoria and other Cactus League sites, Vitello will be assembling more than anecdotes: he will gather lineup cards, first-inning assignments, and pitch-tracking data that together will guide decisions before March 25. Where Eldridge and Birdsong fit into that picture will be among the clearest early storylines.