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Giants outfielder Mac Williamson’s first promotion to the major league club was glorious, but short-lived. The right-handed slugger crushed three homers in his first 19 at-bats. On April 24, he crashed into the left field wall behind the bullpen area, suffering a concussion that has sidelined him from the big league club for a month.
That return may be imminent, however, with the Giants set to activate Williamson on Friday for San Francisco’s series opener against the Chicago Cubs, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic.
Williamson rejoined Triple-A Sacramento last Friday and promptly hit a homer. The next day, he hit another. Williamson has made five appearances since his minor league return, hitting .333 with two homers and seven RBI.
Hunter Pence (thumb) may also be nearing a return. He has produced seven multi-hit games in his past 11 appearances with Triple-A Sacramento. He slugged a grand-slam Tuesday.
Promoting another outfielder, however, would will cut into the bullpen’s depth. Giants manager Bruce Bochy has reiterated the importance of having eight relievers to complement the five starting pitchers, who have struggled to pitch deep into games.
For a Giants lineup that has experienced highs and lows, adding another quality bat is an important step toward consistency. Ultimately, Bochy will have to decide whether that trumps the importance of a having a full army of relievers.