SAN FRANCISCO – One of the catalysts behind the Giants’ recent success on the record is heading to the injured list.
Administrator Gabe Kapler announced Saturday that outfielder Austin Slater has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a mild left-arm strain and the team has recalled outfielder Steven Duggar from the alternative side of Sacramento.
Slater was injured running from second to third on a Mike Yastrzemski single in the first inning in the Giants’ 6-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Oracle Park on Friday. Slater came out of the game and was replaced as the designated hitter of the team by Darin Ruf.
The injury comes at a difficult time for Slater and the Giants, as he recovered from a penalty from the right elbow, which limited him to DH tasks last week. Slater injured his elbow in Houston against the Astros and would likely make his return to the field on Saturday against the D’backs.
“It’s hard. I felt really bad for Slater,” Kapler said. “He works so hard to keep his body in peak physical condition and I know how frustrating it is to have one injury and be almost the whole return trip.”
Slater hits .347 this year with a team-high 1,111 OPS in 59 record appearances this year and is tied for the premier class lead with six stolen bases. He has turned a platoon role into more of a daily opportunity, but he may not be eligible to return to the role until the first week of September.
Bumgarner will not face the Giants
Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo announced on Friday that left-back Madison Bumgarner is back on track on Sunday, but his departure will take place at Chase Field and not at Oracle Park.
The much-anticipated return of Bumgarner to San Francisco will have to wait until Labor Day weekend, as the left-back still recovers from a mid-back strain that landed him on the injured list for the third time in his career.
Even if Bumgarner were healthy, it might play in the Giants’ favor to curb the wrestling left-back, as San Francisco’s offense has shattered left this season. The Giants’ .836 team OPS against left-handed starters ranks third in baseball behind the Chicago White Sox and reigning world champion Washington Nationals.
Bart from his trail
Giants rookie Joey Bart has made quite an impression since his debut on Thursday, but Kapler kept him out of Saturday’s starting lineup to give the team’s top prospect a break.
With no less league season to build fitness, Bart never had the chance to catch back-to-back games this summer before doing so in each of his first two days in the major leagues. Kapler expects Bart to start on Sunday and the Giants have the advantage of giving him an extra breather with Monday’s scheduled day.
Longoria hits a milestone
Giants rookie starter Logan Webb set career highs with 7.0 innings and eight strikeouts in Friday’s win over D’backs, but it was the performance of a teammate that surprised the right-hander behind the game.
Third baseman Evan Longoria became the 150th player in baseball history to reach 300 career home games with a two-run blast against the D’backs on Friday. The Longoria home team came a day after shortstop Brandon Crawford became the third shortstop in the Giants’ franchise history with 100 career homers, when he joined Rich Aurilia and Travis Jackson.
“I feel like I’m pretty lucky to see some pretty cool stuff,” Webb said Friday. “I had to watch Boch last year, Yaz’s home game in Boston, Crawford’s 100th yesterday and then Longo’s today.”
Longoria became the 10th player in franchise history to ride his 300th career home game in a Giants uniform, standing second to the New York Yankees, whose 15 players had reached the milestone while wearing pinstripes.
“I’ve never really thought about personal numbers, but it’s special,” Longoria said. “My wife kept reminding me before the year started that I was only three short and that she really liked even numbers, so I had to make sure I got there.”
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