© D. Ross Cameron | 2021 Aug 22
Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford both left Tuesday night’s 8-0 win over the Mets early with injuries, but manager Gabe Kapler’s panic level about two of his club’s biggest stars seemed low.
Posey was replaced by backup catcher Curt Casali in the fifth inning due to left knee discomfort. Crawford, meanwhile, left in the seventh with back tightness.
Both are considered day-to-day.
“Right now, we’re kind of looking at these as manageable injuries going forward,” Kapler said. “I think this is kind of a read and react situation. As of now, there’s no long term concerns for either guy. But we’re going to have to monitor this. My expectation is that Craw is going to play a lot on this road trip. My expectation is also that Buster’s going to be okay. But we’ll see how they come in tomorrow.”
Posey is coming off playing three-straight games against the A’s — something he’s hardly ever done in 2021 — but the series was sandwiched by two off days and he served as the designated hitter one day. He’s hitting .314 on the year with a .928 OPS and went 1-for-3 with a run scored Tuesday.
Crawford, meanwhile, is experiencing an MVP-level season. He felt his lower back tighten up before the game, Kapler said. He hit 1-for-3 with a RBI and two strikeouts.
“(Crawford) felt it during the game a little bit as he was running, and then a little bit on that last throw that he bounced across the diamond,” Kapler said. “We just wanted to be cautious and get him out of there. We’re still optimistic that he’ll be able to play tomorrow, but he’s also day-to-day at this point.”
Even if both injuries are minor, the bumps and bruises are coming at a grueling point in San Francisco’s schedule. Tuesday’s win over the Mets was the first day of a 16-straight game stretch — the longest streak without an off day of SF’s schedule.
Currently, notable injured list members include Evan Longoria (finger), Kevin Gausman (vaccine), and Anthony DeSclafani (ankle).