Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants have not had the same Brandon Belt in their lineup the past few weeks, and now they won’t have any version for a while.
Belt, who has clearly been struggling with a side issue and has been in and out of the lineup for a few weeks, was placed on the 10-day injured list with a “mild” left oblique strain, the Giants announced Wednesday, a day after he swung, grimaced and exited a game in Arizona.
The Giants expect the first baseman to miss 10-14 days, Gabe Kapler said, and called up infielder Jason Vosler as the corresponding move.
Yet, Darin Ruf is at first against the Diamondbacks’ Merrill Kelly on Wednesday, and Kapler suggested that right-on-right matchup will happen plenty with Ruf while Belt is down.
“He’s really done a nice job against right-handed pitching,” Kapler said of Ruf, who has not hit righties for contact but has for power, slashing .205/.327/.455 against them this season. “… It hasn’t always ended with something good at the end of the at-bat, and sometimes he’s struck out against right-handed pitching, but I really think he’s worked high-quality at-bats. You look up and it’s almost always 3-2.”
Vosler got the call-up and not, say, LaMonte Wade Jr. because Vosler has more infield flexibility. The Giants would like the 27-year-old lefty hitter to spell both Ruf and Evan Longoria, whom the Giants are determined not to overwork.
The Giants will miss Belt’s defense especially — Ruf is serviceable at first but nothing more — and at his best, he works pitchers better than anyone. Yet, since he was first pulled from a game May 11 because of the side issue, he’s been 4-for-18 with two walks and nine strikeouts. He will miss the series with the Dodgers, where the briefly former-Dodger Ruf will be important.