Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Gabe Kapler opened his media session Monday by reciting a string of injury updates because there were “quite a few guys to go through.” Two minutes later he thought he was finished but was queried about LaMonte Wade Jr.
Such is the status of the Giants, who continue to win (14-8) but have been dropping like the Oracle Park weather in the late innings.
The most pressing and new concern was Mike Yastrzemski, who exited Sunday’s game early and has a “very mild” oblique strain, Kapler said. The manager suggested he could miss five or six games, and thus they are hopeful he can avoid a trip to the injured list.
They believe Evan Longoria and his tight hamstring have avoided an IL designation, with the third baseman returning to the lineup against the Rockies at Oracle Park. The 35-year-old has destroyed lefties this season, and Kapler placed him in the cleanup spot against southpaw Austin Gomber. And yet, it did not sound as if he is at full health.
“He feels good enough to be in there,” Kapler said of Longoria, who missed three games and also has been fighting plantar fasciitis since the spring. “We may monitor his workload on the day, and we’ll see how it goes. But we feel confident enough that he’s going to be in the lineup.”
Brandon Crawford will not, although part of that may stem from the shortstop being 1-for-18 against lefties. Mauricio Dubon was getting the start at short, and the Giants would be in trouble if he were to go down. It was unclear whether Crawford (quad) would be available off the bench — he was getting pregame treatment — but Kapler thought he could be in Tuesday’s lineup against righty Chi Chi Gonzalez.
Wilmer Flores, meanwhile, is “back to normal,” Kapler said. The valuable infielder is batting second and playing second base after leaving Sunday’s game early while feeling sick and needing an IV.
The various injury complications forced Alex Dickerson into the lineup against a lefty — he has had four plate appearances against southpaws this year — and made his corner-outfield partner Darin Ruf, which means the Giants hope Anthony DeSclafani can get plenty of ground balls.
Among starters with at least 10 innings pitched this year, DeSclafani’s 57.4 groundball rate entered play as the ninth best in baseball. (Alex Wood, at 63 percent, was second, and Aaron Sanchez’s 59.3 percent was sixth.)
The full lineup, which has a short bench as the Giants try to avoid more IL placements:
1. Austin Slater, CF
2. Wilmer Flores, 2B
3. Brandon Belt, 1B
4. Evan Longoria, 3B
5. Buster Posey, C
6. Darin Ruf, RF
7. Alex Dickerson, LF
8. Mauricio Dubon, SS
9. Anthony DeSclafani, P
There are plenty of soft tissue and muscle injuries going around the club — the most serious being Donovan Solano’s moderately strained calf — and Kapler pointed at the cross-country travel as a possible contributing factor. The weather could be, too, and Kapler suggested the Giants could do less pregame work. Buster Posey is among the Giants who has said he’s warming up differently, only getting warm once to ensure he doesn’t overwork himself.
“Limiting some of the things that we do prior to the game can be a big advantage over the course of 162 games,” Kapler said over Zoom. “With respect to injury prevention, that’s something that we’re thinking about.”
Johnny Cueto is expected to throw bullpen sessions Wednesday and Saturday then a few live BPs next week. The Giants are targeting May 9, against San Diego, for his return, which would mean he would have missed about 3 1/2 weeks. A May 10 or 11 return against Texas also could happen, Kapler said.
Wade (left oblique strain) participated in a live batting practice Monday and “his swings looked great,” but Kapler was not sure when the infielder/outfielder would be able to return.
That live BP was Tyler Beede‘s, whom Kapler already is talking about as a midseason acquisition type. The session “went great,” and the Giants were happy with his velocity, curveball and changeup.
When Beede returns from Tommy John surgery — he’s eligible to be activated May 31 — Kapler said he’ll be built up as a starter.
Reyes Moronta also threw a live batting practice session. The righty will throw another Tuesday and could be activated May 3 in Colorado.