Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Austin Slater must be sick of MRI tubes.
The breakout Giants outfielder will have to visit another Saturday after sustaining a mild left groin strain, Gabe Kapler announced after the Giants’ 6-2 victory over the Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on Friday.
Slater was removed in the first inning after a play that included plenty of starts and stops. He was on second when Mike Yastrzemski lofted a ball to deep left that went in and out of David Peralta’s glove as he hit the wall. Slater had been retreating to second, then had to turn it on to get to third, then was held there.
Trainer Dave Groeschner talked to him, and after a few moments the two walked off the field, Darin Ruf replacing Slater.
It’s another blow for the 27-year-old, who has been restricted to DH’ing since Aug. 11 because of a flexor strain in his right elbow that he will have to manage. He has begun throwing again, and the Giants had said before the game he should be able to return to the field “in the next day or two.”
They hope that will still be true for a leadoff hitter who’s slashing .347/.458/.653.
Evan Longoria called his 300th home run “special,” though it was not something he had put a good deal of thought into.
His wife had.
“My wife has continued to remind me before the year started that I was only three short, and she really likes even numbers, so I had to make sure I got there,” Longoria said after his 394-foot, two-run shot to left in the third inning. “It feels good to have it out of the way and in a win. We’re playing really well right now, and obviously it makes moments like this a lot more special.”
Hunter Pence went 0-for-2 with a walk and is now slashing .096/.161/.250.
Tony Watson, a possible trade candidate, pitched a one-hit, two-strikeout, no-run eighth inning, lowering his ERA to 1.04.