Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Steven Duggar will be an option for the Giants, provided traffic is not too bad.
The Giants flew down to Anaheim on Sunday night, yet they did not bring an extra outfielder on the plane, instead having Duggar drive the six hours down from their satellite camp in Sacramento a day later. As the Giants called up Duggar, they optioned Dereck Rodriguez, who would stick around the major league club as the entirety of the taxi squad.
Gabe Kapler hoped Duggar would make it to Angel Stadium of Anaheim around 6 or 6:30 for a game set to start at 6:40. The Giants know how poor their outfield defense can be, as having nowhere else to turn but Hunter Pence proved Saturday, and Duggar will help solve that issue. Without Austin Slater, who is out of the lineup for a second day straight Monday, they’ve been thin.
The Giants officially listed Slater (flexor strain in his right elbow) as day to day, and Kapler would not reveal whether the outfielder has begun throwing since the diagnosis.
“He’s capable of hitting for us right now, we could DH him,” said Kapler, who instead put Pablo Sandoval at designated hitter. “And we’re just managing when to get him his at-bats and also how to get him as healthy as possible as quickly as possible.”
Kapler was purposely vague concerning whether anything had happened between Sunday and Monday that made Duggar drive rather than join the team flight. Coupled with Slater being absent from the lineup, it was curious whether a setback had occurred.
“Some of this information I’m happy to share,” Kapler said. “Some of it I have to be a little bit more sensitive about.”
Without Rodriguez, who threw 45 pitches in Sunday’s blowout, the Giants will lack a long man.
“We do have coverage if we spread it out amongst several relievers,” said Kapler, who said starter Tyler Anderson could give them as much as five-plus innings.
The relievers in play include Caleb Baragar, Jarlin Garcia, Trevor Gott, Tyler Rogers and Tony Watson.
Kapler was pleased with Sandoval’s at-bats Sunday, when he stroked a long single to right and got another ball heading north.
“We’ve been looking for Pablo to take that swing and get the ball in the air. He was able to do that twice yesterday,” Kapler said over Zoom. “And it’s one of the main reasons he’s sitting in the middle of the lineup for us today.”
The lineup against Angels righty Griffin Canning:
1. Mike Yastrzemski, RF
2. Alex Dickerson, LF
3. Donovan Solano, 2B
4. Brandon Belt, 1B
5. Evan Longoria, 3B
6. Pablo Sandoval, DH
7. Brandon Crawford, SS
8. Mauricio Dubon, CF
9. Chadwick Tromp, C
