TODAY: Panik has indeed undergone the procedure, as Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area was among those to tweet.
YESTERDAY: There’s a “good chance” Giants second baseman Joe Panik will need to undergo surgery on his injured left thumb, manager Bruce Bochy told Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports California and other reporters Sunday (Twitter link). Panik still has to see a specialist in Los Angeles, but if he does go under the knife, it would likely keep him out six to eight weeks, per Pavlovic.
While Panik certainly isn’t an elite second baseman, his absence would rob the Giants of a quality player and likely damage their already slim playoff chances. The club, which placed Panik on the disabled list on Saturday, is off to a 13-14 start and currently sits 6.5 games behind the NL West-leading Diamondbacks. Panik has been his usual solid self, though, having batted .267/.323/.389 (102 wRC+) with a major league-leading 92.4 percent contact rate across his first 100 plate appearances of the year.
The Giants will continue with Kelby Tomlinson and Alen Hanson as their top second base options in Panik’s absence, Pavlovic suggests. San Francisco also has Josh Rutledge in the fold in Triple-A, though he’s not on its 40-man roster.
none of this can be good for San Francisco at this point. It seems like hardly anything is get anyway anymore
While he doesn’t quite posses Panik’s gold glove prowess at, Tomlinson is more than adequate as a second basemen and is currently hitting .306.
Adequate at best.
Giants need to trade everyone and start over…. they can’t catch a break these last couple years. Musta sold health to the devil for those championships.
One of the problems with being up against the luxury tax threshold for SF is that any of their starters who go on the DL will have to be replaced internally. Trading for any player just isn’t an option. It’s amazing they’ve done as well as they have over the first month considering the injuries and horrific production they’re getting from Jackson and Crawford. Panik had a decent month of April, so his absence from the lineup will have an impact.
This writer obviously doesn’t follow Panik, saying he is not elite is not necessary, yes he isn’t going to be confused with Altuve, but he is true MLB starter not just some guy filling a spot. He is someone who can easily hit .300 with about 10 homeruns, just as importantly is his spot in the order and his defense. When he is hitting and getting on base he is getting the offense going in the right direction, and he is one of the best defensive 2B in baseball.
Tomlinson is solid, but now the bench is weaker.
Panik has had a league average bat for the past two years
Panik is the toughest dude to strike out in baseball. He has been above league average offensively and plays gold glove defense. I agree with the previous gentleman when he says he wouldn’t confuse him with the superstars but I’d say he is a great 2 hitter and probably top 5-10 2nd baseman in baseball. He is very capable of a .300 average and 10-15 Homers.
Tomlinson will be able to play everyday.
As for Hanson he gains more playing time.
Yeah but Tomlinson’s defense is garbage and hitting below average.
He’s a solid on base hitter. He’ll get runs for you. He’s not gonna hit 40 homers but he’s a solid backup.
Better trade for Machado.
Need a replacement cause Thomlinson is not the answer.
Panik not elite? What’re you smoking?
panik is a really good 2nd baseman his last 2 seasons have been injury plagued so to speak.. good reason for the downed offensive production.