Buster Posey left Saturday’s game after suffering a hamstring injury while running out a ground ball. The Giants called up catcher Aramis Garcia for today’s game while Posey didn’t play, though manager Bruce Bochy told reporters (including MLB.com’s Maria Guardado) that Posey’s sore hamstring isn’t thought to be too serious. “It’s hard to go into a game with one catcher. Could Buster go back there? Probably, but I think we’d put him at risk to make it worse…This makes sense right now for a day to see how Buster’s doing,” Bochy said. “It gives us some time. After the day off in New York, we’ll see if he’s available to go.” Posey is hitting just .253/.311/.387 through 168 plate appearances, and is on pace for the weakest hitting season of his ten full seasons in the big leagues. The longtime Giants star has been swinging the bat a bit better since returning from a brief stint on the concussion IL earlier this month, so Posey and the team are obviously hoping his hamstring problem won’t again put him on the sidelines.
Here’s some more from around the NL West…
- Charlie Blackmon is eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday, though Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters (including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post) that Blackmon will remain out of action longer than the 10-day minimum. Blackmon took batting practice and shagged some fly balls on Sunday, though he might still need a rehab stint in the minors. Blackmon was hitting .300/.356/.565 at the time of his injury, though the Rockies have surprisingly not missed his bat — Colorado has a 9-1 record in Blackmon’s absence. “Now that they’ve got me out of there, we’re taking off,” the outfielder joked.
- In other Rockies injury news, Black said closer Wade Davis could also pitch in a minor league rehab game or a simulated game before returning to the active roster. Davis threw a bullpen session today, so the right-hander looks to on pace for a relatively quick recovery from a left oblique strain that IL’ed him on May 22.
- Padres general manager A.J. Preller spoke to reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) today about how the front office will turn its focus to the deadline once the draft is passed. With the Padres still in the wild card mix, this could mark the first time in Preller’s tenure that the club will be buyers rather than sellers in July, though Preller stressed that the team isn’t planning an all-in push. “This year we can look at going a lot of different routes….But the most important thing we’ve talked about is it’s still going to be looking toward the long term and looking toward building for the next five years and nothing that will sacrifice that over the next five weeks or so,” the GM said. San Diego has been linked to a wide array of starting pitchers over the last several months, though “there appears to be increasing pessimism the Padres will sign free agent Dallas Keuchel,” Acee writes, since the Padres have young starters for their rotation and the club would have to outbid several other teams for Keuchel’s services.
Interesting comments by Preller. If we take his comments at face value that would narrow down the list of players that could help them this year and years to come.
SP:
Matt Boyd
Caleb Smith
Marcus Stroman (maybe)
Position players:
Merrifield
??
Is Merrifield really any better than Urias?
TBD
I would say for this year and next year Merrifield is the better player than Urias and not to mention Urias still has not proven he can excel at the MLB level yet (I believe he will do so given time).
Merrifield is 30.
Um, yes he is. Age has nothing to do with it. I’d take Merrifield over 95% of all minor leaguers under the age of 24.
We don’t know that Urias to Merrifield is an upgrade long-term and into the Padres’ window. And giving up a top 100 prospect along with Urias to find out isn’t worth it.
Just throwing a name out there but what about Danny Duffy for SD? He has another year or two on his contract (don’t quote me on the exact number of years), but I’m sure KC would want his deal off their books? Maybe a Frenchy Cordero/Danny Duffy swap? It would benefit both teams I would believe. Thoughts?
Not sure Duffy is what SD is looking for. They are not looking for just a solid SP addition. I believe they are looking for a potential TOR arm with many years of team control.
Problem is Sanchez is always hurt and Stroman I don’t believe is a difference maker for SD. Yes more a 2 than an ace. But one man’s trash is another man’s treasure I suppose.
There’s not a difference making arm in this year’s deadline in my opinion. Everyone is average or overrated based on previous or future success, and not current.
TOR- Top Of Rotation, not Toronto.
Blue Jays are the standard now for starting pitching. Padres should go all in on TOR arm
If Aaron Sanchez can stop having hand/finger issues, then I think he can be a candidate to head to San Diego
Preller what a joke
Factoring in losing Paddack and Strahm to inning limits toward the end of the season; would one or two additions tip the scale enough in order to make a serious postseason push?
No. They literally just lost 2 of 3 to the lowly Marlins.
Padres aren’t contenders, and as such, should only make moves to strengthen for next season and beyond. Someone show Preller an episode, or two of Horders please. We are carrying too much trash that is untradeable.
Please show Preller the door if team wants to compete