Heliot Ramos returns to Giants’ lineup, staying off the field for now

SAN FRANCISCO — Heliot Ramos is back in the lineup for the Giants, but he won’t play the field just yet.

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Ramos was activated off the injured list Sunday after missing a month and a half with a right quad strain, and he will hit sixth for San Francisco as a designated hitter.

Manager Tony Vitello said before the game that the decision to keep Ramos off his feet was a conscious attempt not to overburden him as he returns from the long layoff.

“As far as day one goes, I don’t know if ‘ease him into it’ is the right phrase,” Vitello said. “But we tried to balance out the workload at the minor league level, only a couple games of nine innings under his belt, and trying to mix in off days as well, so kind of ramp him up a little bit as we go.”

Casey Schmitt, who essentially took over as the starter in left field in Ramos’ absence, will remain there for at least one more day. Right field, which was Ramos’ anticipated position to return, will be manned by rookie Victor Bericoto. Jung Hoo Lee will play center.

Vitello didn’t rule out almost any future combination in the outfield, even noting that traditional outfielder Jonah Cox may eventually play some infield to find his way into the lineup. Vitello seemed more concerned about the Giants’ infield depth than finding a place for Ramos in the outfield moving forward.

“You’ve got Schmitt, he can kind of play anywhere,” Vitello said. “Cox has the ability and has played on the infield before, but it’s a little shorthanded probably relative to maybe other teams.”

So what does Schmitt think of all this?

In his fourth season at the major-league level, Schmitt has recast himself as a super-utility player who can play any infield position or even pop out to the outfield in a pinch. He’s also having by far the best season of his career at the plate, slashing .290/.316/.508 with 16 home runs and 42 RBIs, both career highs.

For a player whose defense has always been his calling card, he’s become a contributor with the bat – even perhaps having an outside shot at making the All-Star team – to the extent that the Giants will move him all over to keep him in the lineup.

And it sounds like he doesn’t mind.

“I just do what I’m told,” Schmitt told the Bay Area News Group. “I’m excited to have (Ramos) back in the lineup. That’s a big bat that we need back in the lineup, so I’m excited to have him back here.”

Vitello, when asked about the recent trend of infielders kicking out to the outfield, highlighted Schmitt’s versatility, even noting that he pitched in college at San Diego State.

But unlike he did in La Mesa, it sounds like Schmitt won’t be closing games out on the mound anytime soon. He’s become too important for such trivial pursuits.

“I don’t know about that,” Schmitt said. “Those days are behind me.”

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