Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
No longer are the Giants supporting Madison Bumgarner. They instead are loading up their lineup to take him down.
San Francisco activated Austin Slater before the big lefty’s Oracle Park return on Saturday, putting Slater atop a lineup that features seven righty hitters. The Giants optioned Steven Duggar back to the alternate camp in the corresponding move.
Slater, who has played like a star through 19 games this year, had not played since Aug. 21 and has not played the field since Aug. 11, back-to-back injuries forcing him to DH and then the IL. First he suffered a right elbow flexor strain that kept him from throwing, an injury he will have to manage the rest of the season and pick his spots for when he can throw all-out. (He has been throwing in Sacramento for the past few days.)
Then the 27-year-old strained his left groin while running the bases, which ended his run of DH days. He slashed .347/.458/.653 in 59 plate appearances before the IL trip and will see another player fresh off the injured list in his return.
Bumgarner will have to go through a difficult Giants lineup against lefties that does include pal Brandon Belt but does not include Brandon Crawford. Gabe Kapler found room for Belt’s sizzling bat by sitting Alex Dickerson against the southpaw and moving Darin Ruf to left. The Giants opted to go with righty-hitting Daniel Robertson over Crawford at shortstop.
The full lineup behind Trevor Cahill:
1. Slater, DH
2. Flores, 2B
3. Yastrzemski, RF
4. Longoria, 3B
5. Ruf, LF
6. Belt, 1B
7. Robertson, SS
8. Bart, C
9. Dubon, CF