Rafael Devers at first base, Jung Hoo Lee in right for Giants vs. Reds

Rafael Devers is slated to play first base and Jung Hoo Lee in right field when the Giants host the Reds on Wednesday night, per San Francisco beat reporter Susan Slusser. Logan Webb is scheduled to start on the mound.

The lineup card posted by Slusser shows Jonah Cox leading off in center field, Devers batting second at first base, and Lee hitting third in right. Buddy Kennedy is at third base, Osleivis Basabe serves as the designated hitter, Turner Hill plays left field, Andrew Knizner catches, Shay Whitcomb handles second base, and Christian Koss starts at shortstop.

What happened

Slusser posted the Giants' lineup for their Wednesday contest against Cincinnati. The configuration places Devers, typically associated with third base during his career, at first base for the evening. Lee, who has seen time in center field this season, shifts to right field. Webb draws the start against Reds right-hander Nick Lodolo.

The lineup represents the Giants' configuration for the series opener at Oracle Park. No injury or roster move was announced in conjunction with the lineup card.

Why it matters

The positional assignments offer a glimpse into how San Francisco is deploying its personnel during the final weeks of a season already decided in the standings. Devers at first base suggests the Giants are experimenting with defensive alignments or managing workload at the hot corner. Lee's shift to right field may reflect similar considerations, whether related to outfield depth, matchup preferences, or simply rotating players through different positions late in the year.

Webb's presence on the mound provides the Giants with their most established starter. His outing against Cincinnati carries weight for his own preparation as the season winds down, even as the club's postseason hopes have long since evaporated.

The lineup also features a mix of regulars and players who have cycled through the roster in recent weeks. Cox atop the order, Kennedy at third, and Basabe as the designated hitter reflect the kind of personnel shuffling common to clubs out of contention in late August.

Where the club stands

San Francisco carries a 59-84 record into Wednesday's game, good for a .413 winning percentage. The Giants sit fourth in the NL West, 26.5 games behind the division leader. They rank 11th in the National League Wild Card race, 16.0 games back of the cut line, and have been eliminated from the division race. The club carries a one-game winning streak into the series opener.

The Giants host Cincinnati on Wednesday before welcoming Arizona for a two-game set beginning Thursday. Landen Roupp is the probable starter for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks, with Blade Tidwell slated for Friday's contest.

San Francisco's elimination from the division race and its position 16.0 games out of the Wild Card picture have turned the final stretch into an opportunity to evaluate personnel and test lineup combinations. Wednesday's game offers Webb another chance to build innings and the club another look at how Devers and Lee perform in their assigned roles.

The Reds arrive at Oracle Park with their own late-season agenda. Nick Lodolo's start opposite Webb sets up a matchup between two right-handers, though the material did not include Lodolo's season statistics or recent form.

What we don't know yet

The material did not specify whether Devers' assignment to first base is a one-game arrangement or part of a broader plan for the final weeks. His defensive history at the position and the reasoning behind the move were not addressed in the lineup card.

Lee's shift to right field similarly lacks context. Whether the move reflects a long-term positional adjustment, a response to an injury elsewhere in the outfield, or simply a late-season experiment remains unclear.

The health status of the players not in the lineup was not disclosed. The Giants' roster has seen considerable turnover in recent weeks, but the material did not indicate whether any absences from Wednesday's lineup are injury-related or part of routine rotation.

Webb's pitch count target, workload plan, or any restrictions for the outing were not mentioned. Late-season starts often come with modified expectations, but the material provided no detail on how the Giants intend to deploy their starter.

What to watch

Webb's performance against Cincinnati will draw attention as one of the few remaining data points for the Giants' rotation in 2026. His ability to navigate the Reds' lineup and his command profile over the course of the start will offer insight into his form heading into the offseason.

Devers' work at first base provides a subplot worth monitoring. His comfort level at the position, his footwork around the bag, and his ability to handle throws from the infield will be visible throughout the game. The Giants' decision to place him there suggests they see value in the experiment, even if the material did not explain the rationale.

Lee's play in right field offers another angle. His routes, his arm strength on throws to the infield, and his overall defensive reads will be on display. The shift from center to right is not uncommon, but it does alter the responsibilities and angles a player must manage.

The broader question for San Francisco is how the club uses its remaining games. Wednesday's lineup hints at a willingness to test different configurations and give players opportunities in varied roles. Whether that approach yields useful information for the offseason or simply fills out the schedule will become clearer as the calendar turns toward September.

The Giants' one-game winning streak, modest as it is, provides a small thread of momentum. Extending it against Cincinnati would require Webb to deliver a quality start and the lineup to generate enough offense against Lodolo. The material did not include the Reds' record or their own standing in the NL Central, leaving the context of the matchup incomplete.

San Francisco's season has long since shifted from contention to evaluation. Wednesday's game, with its unusual positional assignments and its place in the final stretch, fits squarely within that framework. The lineup card posted by Slusser offers a snapshot of where the Giants are now: a club out of the race, testing its pieces, and playing out the string at Oracle Park.