Mike Yastrzemski has injured his left hamstring four times this year, and the last incident came just as he was on the mend.
The Giants had hoped Yastrzemski would be ready to come off the injured list early this week, but the leg that has bothered him for much of this season flared up as he was running the bases. Sprinting around the diamond is typically the last test for rehabbing players, and Yastrzemski, failed it.
“Significant,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “When he’s been in our lineup and on the field, he’s been one of our best players. It’s no small loss.”
In 77 games this season, Yastrzemski is slashing .233/.314/.439. After this flare-up, he has now been diagnosed with a fourth Grade 1 hamstring strain of the season.
Yastrzemski’s inability to get back on the field for the Giants is one of the reasons the club is calling up rookie Wade Meckler for his debut — along with the former eighth rounder’s video game numbers in the minors.
The full outfield shuffle involves keeping Yastrzemski on the 10-day injured list, calling Meckler up and sending Luis Matos down. Matos, 21, lasted 50 games in his first MLB stint. The Giants want him to work on his strength and initial jumps in the outfield.
While Matos and potentially Meckler have higher long-term ceilings than Yastrzemski, the veteran likely represents the best option to contribute for SF right away.
The Giants still expect Yastrzemski to return this year.
“I haven’t looked at it that way,” Kapler said when asked if Yastrzemski’s season could be in jeopardy. “We’ve all been around seasons where players have had hamstring issues through the season. Eventually, you get over the hump. That doesn’t mean that you don’t continue to have hamstring issues, because that’s a thing, but I don’t have any reason to believe that he can’t get healthy here in the next week or 10 days and then have no more issues through the end of September and into the postseason.”
In other roster moves, the Giants placed Anthony DeSclafani on the injured list and called up utility player Johan Camargo (whom SF added last week).
Given the Giants’ tenuous pitching situation, more roster moves are likely coming. Ryan Walker is opening a bullpen game on Monday, with To Be Determined listed as the club’s starting pitcher for both Tuesday and Wednesday.
That’s three straight all-hands games. Kapler said he’s confident the group of pitchers in the clubhouse can take down those three contests, but that could become more difficult if things don’t go according to plan.
Asked directly if top prospect Kyle Harrison is a candidate to pitch in the second or third game against Tampa Bay, Kapler said anything is on the table — standard phrasing for the tight-lipped Giants.
For the series opener, Tristan Beck and Sean Manaea are on normal rest. Ross Stripling’s turn is on Wednesday, leaving Tuesday as more of a question mark. Alex Wood, who controversially tossed four innings of mop-up work Saturday on short rest, could be on line to pitch again in a shorter burst in a day or two, Kapler said.
“I’m pretty confident that we are,” Kapler said of if the team is prepared to complete three straight bullpen games. “We’ve done stretches like these in the past. We have a couple of pitchers in there who are built up to take down 75 to 90 pitches. If you just look at those two pitchers, you can cover the games. There’s a couple more in there that can take big chunks, too. We’re okay.”
- Former Giants reliever Zack Littell caught up with some former teammates and coaches on the field before Monday’s series opener. Littell’s time with the Giants ended unceremoniously last year, when he had a public run-in with Kapler.
With the Rays, Littell has transitioned into a starter and is scheduled to start Tuesday’s contest. In his past 19 innings, Littell has allowed five earned runs (2.37 ERA) in a span that includes two quality starts.
- Giants assistant coach Alyssa Nakken is pregnant, her husband announced on social media. The Nakkens are expecting a baby daughter next February.
“We’re all really happy for Alyssa,” Kapler said. “She’s doing great and we’re excited to support her through this on every level.”
- The Giants designated outfielder Luis González for assignment, removing him from their 40-man roster. González hit .254 in 98 games for San Francisco last year. He never got back on track after undergoing offseason back surgery and ended up being the victim of a roster crunch.
