Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants expect to get Donovan Solano back soon. They are officially pessimistic about Tommy La Stella’s progress.
The Giants moved the valuable top-of-the-lineup bat and flexible infielder to the 60-day injured list before Tuesday’s game in Cincinnati. La Stella has been out with a moderate left hamstring strain suffered May 2 and is not eligible to return until July 2, just over a week before the All-Star break. With the cleared roster spot, they claimed righty Trevor Hildenberger from the Mets.
When La Stella went down in Colorado, hobbling his way from third to home, Gabe Kapler estimated he would need 4-6 weeks to heal. They have been vague with updates on the 32-year-old in the two-plus weeks since.
“No baseball activities for now, but he’s making good progress,” Kapler said before play Tuesday and before the longer IL designation.
Against righties, La Stella has been the Giants’ leadoff hitter and table-setter, consistently working long at-bats that proved valuable even while he got off to a slow start. Wilmer Flores has mostly struggled as the lone second baseman standing, while Solano (calf strain) is expected to play nine innings tonight with Sacramento. If he comes through OK, he figures to be ready by the home Dodgers series that begins Friday.
In Hildenberger, the Giants picked up yet another local guy, this one an alum of Archbishop Mitty in San Jose and who played college baseball at Cal. The Mountain View native came through the Twins’ system, after being drafted in the 22nd round in 2014, and debuted in 2017, latched on with Boston in 2020 but did not appear in a game and had pitched in two with the Mets this season. In four four years and 134 major league appearances, he carries a 5.52 ERA with 133 strikeouts and 42 walks in 133 2/3 innings.
Hildenberger was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento and becomes another possibility for a team that has struggled with righty relief, especially recently with Camilo Doval’s and Matt Wisler’s struggles. He’s also a possibility to be DFA’d yet again if Farhan Zaidi and Scott Harris want to sneak him through waivers.
