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Reyes Moronta can’t catch a break.
He missed the 2020 season recovering from shoulder surgery, returned without his fastball but still pitched well in four innings, then was placed on the injured list with a right flexor strain after last appearing April 10.
The Giants had targeted Monday for the righty reliever’s return, but he experienced forearm tightness while warming up in the bullpen Saturday, Gabe Kapler said. The Giants are sending him to Dr. Ken Akizuki for a Sunday evaluation.
Kapler said he did not know if the flexor strain and forearm tightness were related.
The 28-year-old had returned throwing more than 3 mph slower with his fastball, but he more featured his slider and allowed a run in four innings. The Giants lacked a late-game righty arm like his all last year and thus far this year — Trevor Gott, Sam Coonrod and Shaun Anderson are no longer in the picture, while Matt Wisler and Gregory Santos have struggled. Camilo Doval has shown excellent stuff, and the Giants called up Zack Littell on Friday.
Brandon Crawford was out of the lineup in San Diego for a second straight game against righty Joe Musgrove. The shortstop had been hit by a Yu Darvish fastball Friday and forced out with a calf contusion.
Mauricio Dubon was in the lineup at shortstop, and Kapler said Crawford is “doing better today.” He was not sure if Crawford would be available off the bench yet.
The full lineup:
1. Tommy La Stella, 2B
2. Mike Tauchman, RF
3. Wilmer Flores, 3B
4. Brandon Belt, 1B
5. Alex Dickerson, LF
6. Mauricio Dubón, SS
7. Steven Duggar, CF
8. Curt Casali, C
9. Kevin Gausman, RHP
Better injury news: Mike Yastrzemski may be able to play “as early as Friday,” Kapler said. Yastrzemski is on the IL with a left oblique strain.
Johnny Cueto threw a live bullpen session Saturday in Sacramento with “no issues,” Kapler said.
They will continue to build him up, and the plan has been for a return early next week. The Giants should go another turn through their rotation without adding Cueto and subtracting likely Logan Webb.
Their rotation for the Coors Field series that begins Monday:
Monday: RHP Aaron Sanchez (1-1, 2.22) vs. RHP German Marquez (1-2, 4.13)
Tuesday: LHP Alex Wood (3-0, 1.50) vs. TBA
Wednesday: RHP Logan Webb (1-2, 4.13) vs. RHP Jon Gray (3-2, 3.15)
