Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was hit on the left thumb by a Lucas Gilbreath pitch during the seventh inning of San Francisco’s 6-2 win over the Rockies today. Belt took his base, but was replaced at first base for the bottom half of the inning.
Manager Gabe Kapler told The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser and other reporters that Belt will be examined tomorrow when the Giants return home, as an initial round of x-rays were inconclusive. Belt didn’t speak to the media himself following the game, but teammate Brandon Crawford noted that “talking to him, he seems like he should be all right and hopefully not miss too much time.”
The Giants have already clinched at least a wild card berth, and they hold a two-game lead over the Dodgers in the NL West with six games remaining in the regular season. Since San Francisco doesn’t play on Monday, Belt will get an extra day to recuperate, though even if he has escaped the worst and his thumb is only sore or bruised, it seems like Belt might be a limited factor at best in this critical final week.
Belt’s revival at the plate began in 2020, and he carried that big performance in the shortened season through to 2021. With two more hits in today’s win over Colorado, Belt is now hitting .274/.378/.597 with 29 home runs over 381 plate appearances. This is despite missing close to eight weeks on the injured list due to an oblique strain and then a knee injury — much of Belt’s best work has come since returning from that second IL trip, as he has a whopping 1.071 OPS over 176 PA from August 5 to September 25.
Depth has been a key part of the Giants’ success this year, and since Belt has missed so much time, such players as LaMonte Wade Jr., Wilmer Flores, and Darin Ruf have all gotten considerable action at first base. Wade and Flores figure to work a first base platoon until Belt is healthy, and Ruf figures to join the mix when he returns from the IL. Ruf told Slusser that he expects to be ready to be activated on Thursday, which represents the minimum 10 days after he was sidelined due to an oblique strain.
This injury may involve the thumb but it’s below the Belt for the Giants.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
I think it’s close enough to the finish line they can finish off the division without him and the Giants are one of the few teams with the depth to replace him, but him being out the whole postseason would definitely hurt their chances.
Yeah but…… 29 home runs, man no giant has hit 30 homers since Barry. It would be a shame for him to not get that last one.
No Giant had hit 29 either since Bonds. I’d rather they hold him out a few days if that helps him be better for the playoffs
Giants definitely cannot do without Belt. Outstanding fielder and clutch hitter. They wouldn’t be in this position now without Belt. My guess is that the initial X-ray might show a crack , but not a full break, otherwise why the wriggle room of calling it “inconclusive?”
Fluroscan vs xray
How can an x-ray be inconclusive? It’s either broken or it isn’t.
Swelling.
Giants tweets said it was a scan that was inconclusive and he was getting an x ray tomorrow on the off day
He had a flouroscan and will undergo full X-ray in sf
It didn’t look good. I’m prepared for the bad news tomorrow. Bryant can also play first so Wade can stay in the OF. Belt’s value has skyrocketed. Any rumors about an extension?
He’s gonna have to just suck it up and play through the pain regardless come playoffs. It was his left hand so as long as he can grip the ball his fielding shouldn’t suffer. He’s a great OBP guy due to his eye and seeing lots of pitches per at bat. If the injury zaps his power a bit that’s a shame, but if he shuts it down completely I think he will lose a lot of the fans respect.
No he won’t. Why would they throw strikes if it hurts him to swing? If it’s broken his season should be over
I would not lose an ounce of respect for someone who didn’t play because he had a broken thumb. This “suck it up and play hurt” mentality usually doesn’t help the player or the team.
Chipsss with a mets22 level bad take.
With a broken / injured thumb don’t see him being able to play through it. The thumb is such a important part of gripping the bat. When he either gets sawed off or jammed by a pitch the vibrations in the bat would be so hard on this thumb it would be damaged one. If they were in the World Series and one game left like with Bobby Bonilla in 1996 with a injury he may play through it but not with so many games.
Jints1 as a baseball fan I think you want to let Belt walk and not re sign him. He is getting older there will be some good options on the free agent market. You don’t want to tie up money on a older player who had a career year.
Anyone take note he’s already playing injured? Dude clearly had a knee issue from his last IL stint that likely requires surgery to fix. He opted to rehab so he could comeback this season, he’s been running at about 75% clearly he’s nursing the knee still. Captain Belt should be brought back next season in my eyes!
Belt is having one of those classic bust out the contract season. He did this in 2016 and it worked to an extension for 5 seasons and promptly dropped his desire put up stats that looked worth the money. Contract year he suddenly at age 33 outpaces any previous year. Once he gets paid again he will revert to 17 HR .245-.255 hitter. Hope Giants don’t get fooled again on this.
He was comfortably above average in 17 and 18. 2019 was the only year he really struggled. I wouldn’t want to see them make it rain on him but if they can agree on 2 years at a similar line fo Crawford I think that would work for everyone
Chipsss; this happens with teams they fall in love with a player a name you know but I think the giants be best to let Belt walk and replace him instead of giving him a deal.
Prior to this career year everybody was sure that he was going be re-signed. If you re sign him after resigning Crawford and picking up Posey option your asking 3 players wrong side of 30 who had career years this year to repeat the performance. Belt would be 35 – 36 years old during the deal a time when most players performance really drops off
I’m amazed you can get inside his head and determine his level of desire to succeed. How do you do that?
Jeff Blauser was really good at this…
Datashark; I have noticed that a lot of players do this normally in a contract year and the players puts up a huge season. But I also think sometimes things just click. For some reason the giants atmosphere has resulted in a career year out of most of their veterans. I would be very curious to see how players like Belt; Crawford and Posey do next year.
There have been multiple articles at the Athletic, ESPN, etc. about the new coaches Kapler brought in and their unconventional platooning practices. The Giants organization seems to have gotten ahead of other teams in a few key areas.
I have stated this many times before and will state it again.
Lucas Gilbreath should be suspended for the length of time in which
Brandon Belt is not at the top of his game.
As a Giants fan who watched the HBP there was absolutely zero intent on that pitch. He tried to bunt it and didn’t pull his hand back in time.
I get it.
When a pitcher hits a batter there is 98% chance that it was not intentional.
The batter is injured and misses time. and his team must absorb the loss.
What currently happens to the pitcher and the team he plays for??
NOTHING !!!
The pitchers in MLB are supposedly the best in the game.
NO EXCUSE for hitting a defenseless batter.
If the pitcher is unable to control his pitches, he DOES NOT BELONG AT MLB.
Example:
Twins Byron Buxton is having a career year.
On 6/22/21 Buxton went on the DL
He is activated off the DL on 8/27/21
From 10 games under .500, the Twins TANKED during Buxton’s absence.
What were the repercussions for Mahle and the Reds for causing that???
NOTHING !!!!
His hand is broken by an errant pitch from the Red’s Tyler Mahle
I like how you say you get it and then you write 15 sentences demonstrating that you don’t get it.
Nentwigs suggesting batters have a protective netting in front of them now.
News flash baseball is kinda dangerous and players will continue and should get hit by the ball occasionally.
So by that inane logic should a hitter be suspended if his comebacker injures a pitcher? After all, it was uNiNtEnTiOnAL
If you ever have taken a sport law class (and this is probably taught in most law classes in general), you’ll know that’s considered an inherent risk of the activity. Inherent risks are risks that the participant takes on as they are an integral part of the activity. They cannot be eliminated without chaning the nature of the activity itself. Getting hit by a pitch is an inherent risk the batter takes on. There’s nothing that can really be done about it. Like you said, most HBP’s are unintentional. Sure, these are the best pitchers in the world, but best=/=perfect. Humans aren’t perfect. Baseballs will slip from hands a tad too early or too late. It’s not really anyone’s fault that a ball slips out of the hand.
I watch the game from Australia and every time a pitch breaks a finger, I wonder if cricket gloves will ever get a run in baseball. Way more padding on top, normal glove on the inside.
At least Darin Ruf is supposed to come back Thursday. Giants were still the best team in baseball during the months that Belt was out, though this definitely will hurt if he misses time in the playoffs.
The reconfigured ballpark with the bullpens in CF has changed how their home park plays. No guy in MLB had been hurt in his career by his home park more than Belt in particular counting stats (HR’s) Always thought in a hitters park he’d easily hit 35.
As the article states this level of slugging started last year and has carried into 2021. Unlike Crawford, there’s no revamped swing with Belt. He commands the strike zone has always has stretches were he gets ridiculously hot in particular the power/HR.
I do give credit for the SFG staff for having a game plan for all their “every day” players, resting them often to keep them fresh. That and last year being a shortened year I believe has helped their vets stay strong, fresh for this full season. He’s going to get a qualifying offer now, that’s a certainty. That said unless there’s a DH in place in the NL I believe SF would rather rotate players through 1B than have a starter there
That’s next year, there’s 2021 baseball still to be played
Watching the Dodgers is equally boring for Giants fans Wendell! We only watch because we want them to lose!
Way too many people on here talking about the Giants can’t do it without Belt. That’s hilarious considering this guy’s only played a full season a handful of times and for him a full season is around 145 games or more. He’s always hurt so I believe the Giants are used to playing without him at this point.
Mystery team; without Belt it takes one of the giants main power threats and changes a lot of mind sets. Pitchers start trying to be too fine with their pitches knowing that without power bats the giants can’t put up a crooked number as easily and have to relay on multiple hits to drive in runs. It’s a lot harder to get 2-3 singles and doubles in a inning than it is to get a walk a broken bat single and a home run to score.
Post season everything about the regular season is thrown out. First round match up either the dodgers or cardinals both have the power to put up three run home runs etc. where the giants don’t have that as much without belt.
I can’t see the giants going deep into the post season with Belt.
My dog’s favorite player is Darin Ruff.