DENVER — Brandon Belt, the Giants’ most powerful hitter, left Sunday’s game in the seventh inning after getting drilled by a 93 mph fastball.
Belt had squared to bunt when reliever Lucas Gilbreath’s fastball ran in on the lefty, nailing his left hand. He knelt on the grass in foul territory in pain for about a minute.
A scan on Belt’s left hand came up inconclusive, manager Gabe Kapler said postgame. When the team arrives back home in San Francisco, he’ll get an X-Ray.
When asked if he considers Belt an indispensable part of the team, Kapler said “it’s not time for us to reflect on losing Brandon Belt.”
“We’re not there yet,” Kapler said.
After Belt took the pitch to his hand, the Rockies immediately replaced Gilbreath with Robert Stephenson. As Stephenson warmed up, Belt walked over to the dugout, where team trainer Dave Groeschner wrapped his left hand and wrist with black tape. Belt stayed in the game to run, but was replaced in the field by Wilmer Flores to start the bottom half of the inning.
“It’s scary,” shortstop Brandon Crawford said. “Especially when it’s a fastball either close to a guy’s hand or on his hand or fingers, because there’s so many little bones in there that could break. You need your hands. They’re pretty important in baseball. Especially his throwing hand, I mean it’s scary.”
Crawford said that after talking to Belt, it sounds like he’ll be alright. But the severity of Belt’s injury remains unclear.
Belt crushed home runs No. 28 and 29 Saturday night during SF’s 7-2 win. His first home run tied the single-season franchise record for home runs, and his second put the 2021 club on top of the record books.
Belt’s previous career-high for home runs in a season was 18. He’s hit 18 since the All-Star Break in his career year.
The team leader in home runs also paces SF in OPS (.967). Self-nicknamed “The Captain,” he’s become an indispensable leader on the field and in the clubhouse for baseball’s best team.
Belt has already missed over 45 games this season with knee and oblique injuries. After sweeping the Rockies to complete the team’s final road trip, the Giants head back to San Francisco for an off-day Monday then the last six regular season games.
Sunday’s starting pitcher, Kevin Gausman, remembers the gregarious Belt coming back from injury earlier than expected this season.
“He kind of joked that someone like him can come back from something really quick,” Gausman said. “I’m hoping that he’s back out there on Tuesday.”