When two of the Giants’ everyday position players went down on consecutive plays in Tuesday night’s game against the Cardinals, it could have been a turning point on the season.
J.D. Davis, though, got relatively optimistic news regarding his ankle, which was diagnosed as a Grade 1 sprain. Mitch Haniger, who fractured his right forearm on a a hit-by-pitch, wasn’t as lucky.
Haniger will get surgery on his forearm in Los Angeles on Thursday, the Giants said. Dr. Steve Shin, an orthopedic surgeon with a speciality in hand injuries, will perform the procedure.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, forearm fractures typically carry a recovery time of three-to-six months — a timetable that puts Haniger’s first season with the Giants in jeopardy. Every athlete, and every particular injury is different, and the Giants will provide more updates on Friday following the surgery.
“I think that even in this scenario where there’s a surgical intervention, I think there’s still a chance that he can play for us this year,” manager Gabe Kapler told reporters in St. Louis, via The San Francisco Chronicle.
The medical organization said surgical intervention for forearm fractures is typically necessary when both forearm bones are broken — the more common injury — or if the bones have punctured the skin. Patients are typically in an arm cast for two to six weeks following surgery.
Haniger’s injury comes after he played 39 games in the first of a three-year contract with the Giants. An oblique injury from spring training delayed his season, and he largely struggled to produce when healthy. The veteran outfielder has hit .231 with four home runs and a .653 OPS this year.
The forearm fracture is also the latest in a long stretch of unfortunate injuries for Haniger. A ruptured testicle ended his 2019 season early, and back surgery — possibly complicated by the groin injury — knocked him out for all of 2020. Haniger was healthy in 2021, when he broke out with 39 home runs, but played just 57 games last year due to an ankle injury.
None of Haniger’s injuries appear chronic, but rather unlucky. The Giants knew about them all before signing him to a three-year, $43.5 million deal this winter.
Luis Matos, the 21-year-old prospect who lit up Triple-A, debuted in Haniger’s place on Wednesday, going 1-for-3 with a first-inning single.
There’s no official timetable for return for Haniger, but Davis could be back for the Giants before long. Davis told reporters in St. Louis that he thinks he’ll miss between three and 10 days, meaning a 10-day injured list stint might not even be necessary.
Davis rolled his ankle sliding into the third base bag. He’s a fringe All-Star candidate, has hit .286 with nine home runs and a .845 OPS. He ranks sixth among third basemen in outs above average, flashing a vastly improved glove with everyday playing time.