Brandon Belt

NL West Injury Notes: Weathers, Bellinger, Betts, Kershaw, Belt, Crawford, Kelly

By Mark Polishuk | July 24, 2021 at 9:08pm CDT

Padres left-hander Ryan Weathers was activated off the 10-day injured list earlier today, and he marked the occasion with four shutout innings and his first career home run in San Diego’s 3-2 loss to the Marlins. Weathers had to be helped off the field after suffering what looked like an ugly leg injury on July 11, though he ended up only fracturing a small bone in his right ankle. He looked none the worse for wear today, which is a nice boost to a Padres team that has battled through multiple pitching injuries and might yet look to add more arms by the trade deadline.

More injury updates from around the NL West…

Cody Bellinger is day-to-day after leaving Friday’s game due to hamstring tightness, though Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told The Los Angeles Times’ Jeff Miller and other reporters that Bellinger was on the field working out prior to today’s game. When he does return, Bellinger might be utilized at first base in order to reduce his running, Roberts said.
Roberts also had more updates on other injured Dodgers stars, including Mookie Betts’ continuing right hip problems. Betts received a cortisone shot and the plan is for the outfielder to play on Tuesday when the Dodgers begin a series with the Giants. Betts hasn’t played since July 19 and hasn’t started a game since July 17. Clayton Kershaw (placed on the 10-day IL with forearm inflammation on July 7) threw a bullpen session today and is slated for a simulated game on Tuesday.
Brandon Belt may be close to a rehab assignment, as the Giants first baseman ran the bases today as he continues to work his way back from knee inflammation. Belt told reporters (including John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle) that he feels “way better than I thought I was going to feel at this point,” considering that there was some consideration of knee surgery when he initially hurt his knee almost exactly one month ago. Belt intends to wear a protective sleeve over his knee when he returns to the field.
In other positive injury recovery news for the Giants, Brandon Crawford began baseball activity today. Crawford was placed on the 10-day IL with what was considered to be a minor left oblique strain on July 19, and it looks like Crawford will indeed only be out of action for a minimal amount of time.
Diamondbacks catcher Carson Kelly will began a rehab assignment on Thursday and will move to High-A Hillsboro on Sunday, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert tweets. A fractured wrist sent Kelly to the injured list on June 20, interrupting an outstanding season for the 27-year-old backstop. Kelly has hit .260/.385/.460 with eight home runs over 187 plate appearances.

Giants Place Mike Tauchman On Injured List

By Anthony Franco | July 1, 2021 at 7:51pm CDT

The Giants announced they’ve placed outfielder Mike Tauchman on the 10-day injured list due to a right knee sprain. To replace him on the active roster, San Francisco reinstated fellow outfielder Jaylin Davis from the 60-day IL. A 40-man roster spot for Davis’ activation was opened when right-hander Gregory Santos was suspended for performance-enhancing drugs earlier this week.

Tauchman is only expected to miss 10-14 days, as his sprain is relatively minor, the team told reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Upon his return, the 30-year-old will need to perform better than he has in recent weeks. The Giants acquired Tauchman from the Yankees in April, but the left-handed hitter has only managed a .180/.292/.295 line in 161 plate appearances in black and orange. Tauchman is out of minor league option years, so the Giants will need to continue to keep him on the active roster once he returns from the IL or make him available to other clubs.

The activation is a nice birthday present for Davis, who turns 27 years old today. He’ll be making his season debut once he gets into a game. Davis has been sidelined all year by right knee tendinitis. The powerful right-handed hitter hasn’t done much over 59 major league plate appearances to date, but he’s mashed at a .329/.412/.709 clip in 357 trips to the dish at Triple-A.

The Giants also provided an update on injured first baseman Brandon Belt. He’ll attempt to rehab from the right knee inflammation that sent him to the IL last week (via Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic). Surgery, which would’ve sidelined Belt for eight-to-twelve weeks, had been on the table, but there’s a realistic chance for the 33-year-old to return without going under the knife. There’s no timetable for his return, but Baggarly notes he’ll be “definitiely” be back in less than two months if all goes well.

Giants Place Brandon Belt On 10-Day Injured List

By TC Zencka | June 28, 2021 at 7:43pm CDT

JUNE 28: Belt has minimal structural damage in his knee, Kapler told reporters (including Guardado). The team is optimistic he’ll be able to rehab the injury without requiring surgery.

JUNE 26: Belt will miss more than 10 days in recovery, Kapler told MLB.com’s Maria Guardado and other reporters, and a possible knee surgery isn’t out of the question. “I think as we evaluate it, everything could potentially be on the table. I think the concerns are there, yeah,” Kapler said.

JUNE 25: The Giants placed Brandon Belt on the 10-day injured list with a knee injury today, recalling outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. in his place, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Belt, 33, is one of the many seemingly rejuvenated veterans dotting the Giants’ roster. Belt posted a career-low 98 wRC+ over 616 plate appearances in 2019, but he’s been nothing short of spectacular at the dish since. After slashing a wholly unsustainable .309/.425/.591 (172 wRC+) in 179 plate appearances last season, Belt has continued to trend in the right direction with a .253/.363/.512 line through 201 trips to the box. Time will tell whether this bout of knee inflammation is a short-term setback or something more serious.

Wade, an outfielder by trade, can share the first base duties with Darin Ruf while Belt is out. Offensively, the Giants believe Wade/Ruf can hold the line, but Belt’s defense is harder to replicate. Slusser provides this quote from manager Gabe Kapler, “…as good as LaMonte is and as good as Ruf is over there, Belt is like another level when it comes to footwork and putting himself in good positions to take care of the other infielders on the diamond. LaMonte is going to continue to improve over there with more reps, but we’re going to really miss Brandon as a defender.”

In looking for ways to upgrade as we approach the trade deadline, it’s natural to consider the position player side of the Giants’ roster given that three-quarters of their expected starting infield is currently on the injured list (Belt, Evan Longoria, Tommy La Stella). That said, the Athletic’s Grant Brisbee writes that the rotation, in fact, may be the first place the Giants look to upgrade.

To Brisbee’s point, the rotation certainly didn’t look like a significant strength heading into the season. Kevin Gausman looked the part of a frontline starter, though his track record wasn’t long enough to erase all doubts. Johnny Cueto used to be a star, but he hasn’t appeared as one since 2016. Alex Wood, Anthony DeSclafani, and Aaron Sanchez rounded out the five. That trio seemed to be a low-ceiling/high-floor group if healthy – though they came with significant health concerns. Logan Webb figured to be the primary understudy, and though he’s younger and therefore full of promise, he entered the year with a 5.36 ERA/4.15 FIP through 94 career innings.

As a group, they’ve exceeded expectations: 3.14 ERA/3.44 FIP, both ranking third-best in the Majors, with the fifth-most innings pitched at 401 2/3, and the sixth-most fWAR accumulated with 7.3 fWAR. They’ve induced groundballs at the third-best rate among rotations and allowed less walks per nine innings than every team save the rival Dodgers.

Still, Sanchez may still be bothered by his blister issues, per Slusser, and Webb is out with a strained shoulder. Gausman has been brilliant, and DeSclafani a pleasant surprise, but there’s certainly room to add the right guy if the Giants should find him. Identifying that arm will take some doing. Max Scherzer has been a popular target for speculation, but the latest reports suggest he’ll need an extension before accepting a deal. Besides, when the Nats are within earshot of contention – as they are right now – they aren’t typically inclined to sell.

To speculate on other potential rotation targets, look no further than our list of top-40 trade targets. Jon Gray, Matthew Boyd, Tyler Anderson, Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda, Dylan Bundy, Andrew Heaney, Jose Urena, German Marquez, Spencer Turnbull, and John Means are some of the top names that may be available come July.

Health Notes: Bregman, Belt, Seager, Knebel, d’Arnaud

By Anthony Franco | June 23, 2021 at 9:12pm CDT

The Astros placed star third baseman Alex Bregman on the injured list due to a left quad strain last week, although the timeline for his potential return was undefined. Manager Dusty Baker offered a little more clarity today, telling reporters (including Mark Berman of FOX 26) Bregman would be out for “two to three weeks or more.” With the All-Star break about three weeks away, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Bregman doesn’t return until the season’s unofficial second half begins July 16. The Astros have primarily relied on Abraham Toro in recent days, winning all seven of their games since Bregman went down.

In other health situations around the league:

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt left this afternoon’s game against the Angels after stumbling while running the bases. He has an undisclosed right knee injury and will go for an MRI, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area). Belt has quietly been fantastic this season, hitting .253/.365/.518 with 11 home runs across 197 plate appearances. If he winds up requiring an injured list stint, it’d be a tough blow to a Giants club that currently holds a 3.5 game lead in the National League West.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided updates on a pair of injured players in a session with reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com and Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). Shortstop Corey Seager, who has been out since May 15 with a fractured right hand, is still feeling some soreness that’s delaying his embarking on a potential rehab assignment. Seager’s injury called for him to miss at least a month, but it seems his progression is going a little slower than the team had initially hoped. Meanwhile, reliever Corey Knebel, who went down with a right lat strain in late April, is targeting a return to the big league club by the end of August.
Braves manager Brian Sntiker told reporters (including David O’Brien of the Athletic) that catcher Travis d’Arnaud is “right on track” in his recovery from a torn ligament in his right thumb. The team hopes he’ll make his return at some point in August. With d’Arnaud out, Atlanta has primarily turned to rookie William Contreras behind the dish. The 23-year-old has held his own, hitting .227/.306/.437 in 134 plate appearances.

Evan Longoria Out Four To Six Weeks With Shoulder Sprain

By Anthony Franco | June 6, 2021 at 7:23pm CDT

7:24PM: Longoria told The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly and other reporters that he isn’t feeling pain in the shoulder itself, as his injury is specifically a dislocated SC joint. Because of the somewhat odd nature of the injury, Longoria isn’t certain about a timetable.

1:39PM: The Giants announced that third baseman Evan Longoria has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left shoulder. He’s expected to miss four to six weeks, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle). Utilityman Thairo Estrada has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento in his place.

Longoria suffered the injury when he collided with shortstop Brandon Crawford during last night’s game against the Cubs. It’s a brutal development for a Giants team holding a two-game advantage in a highly competitive NL West. Longoria has been one of the most instrumental pieces of the club’s success, putting up a .280/.376/.516 line with nine home runs over 186 plate appearances. After adjusting for pitcher-friendly Oracle Park, Longoria’s 146 wRC+ places him among the top 25 qualified hitters in the sport this season. That kind of production is reminiscent of his peak days in Tampa Bay, when Longoria was one of the game’s most valuable players.

There’s virtually no way for the Giants to replace that kind of production, but San Francisco now seems likely to turn to some combination of Wilmer Flores, Jason Vosler and Mauricio Dubón at third base. Flores has generally been a decent hitter over the past few years. The 29-year-old is hitting a league-average .248/.328/.380 in 137 plate appearances this season.

On the plus side, San Francisco is at least set to welcome one of their other top bats in the next few days. First baseman Brandon Belt is expected to be reinstated from the injured list during the team’s upcoming road trip, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). Belt, out since May 26 with an oblique issue, has hit .228/.350/.474 over 137 trips to the plate.

Giants Place Mike Yastrzemski, Logan Webb On Injured List

By Anthony Franco | June 3, 2021 at 6:11pm CDT

The Giants announced they’ve placed outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and starter Logan Webb on the 10-day injured list. Yastrzemski, whose placement was retroactive to June 2, has a sprained right thumb. Webb has a right shoulder strain; his placement was retroactive to May 31. Corner infielder Jason Vosler and righty Nick Tropeano have been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento to replace the pair on the active roster.

Yastrzemski’s IL stint doesn’t figure to be a long one. Manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic) the 30-year-old is expected to miss seven to fourteen days, so it’s possible he’ll return when first eligible on June 12. Yastrzemski is hitting a productive .222/.332/.456 with six home runs over 184 plate appearances this year.

Webb, on the other hand, looks to be in for a more significant absence. Kapler says he’ll be shut down from throwing for a couple weeks (via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). This is the second time in as many months Webb is going on the IL with a shoulder strain. While he returned after the minimum ten days last time, the Giants will now take things a bit slower. The 24-year-old Webb has pitched well this season, tossing 49 innings of 3.86 ERA/3.36 SIERA ball.

The Giants haven’t yet decided who’ll start tomorrow night’s game against the Cubs in Webb’s place. Scott Kazmir is a possibility, though (Slusser link). The veteran lefty was placed on the restricted list Monday when he went to his Texas home to address a personal matter, but he’s expected back in the next few days.

Kapler also provided updates on a couple other injured Giants. Starter Aaron Sanchez, who has missed nearly a month with biceps tightness, threw live batting practice this afternoon (via Slusser). First baseman Brandon Belt, out since May 26 with a left oblique strain, has progressed to taking batting practice and could return to the lineup this weekend (Baggarly link).

West Notes: Belt, Bellinger, Gonzales, Pomeranz, Adell

By Connor Byrne | May 26, 2021 at 6:01pm CDT

The Giants are placing first baseman Brandon Belt on the 10-day injured list with a mild left oblique strain and recalling infielder Jason Vosler, per manager Gabe Kapler (via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Kapler doesn’t expect Belt to miss more than 10 to 14 days, and in the meantime, Darin Ruf will get the lion’s share of playing time at first base. Even a short absence for Belt could be a tough blow for the contending Giants, though, considering he’s off to a .228/.350/.447 start with eight home runs in 137 plate appearances. However, Ruf has also hit well – albeit over a smaller sample of 97 PA – with a .228/.361/.506 line and six long balls.

The Dodgers are hopeful that slugger Cody Bellinger will return from the injured list on Saturday, manager Dave Roberts told Juan Toribio of MLB.com and other reporters. Los Angeles has gone nearly the entire season without Bellinger, who suffered a hairline fracture in his left leg and hasn’t played since April 5. Nevertheless, the reigning World Series champions have more than held their own in Bellinger’s absence, having won eight straight to improve to 30-18.
Mariners left-hander Marco Gonzales, out since April with a forearm strain, is making progress and could come back during the team’s upcoming homestand (May 27-June 2), per Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. Gonzales was one of the top starters in the league year, but he’s off to a rough beginning this season between the injury and his performance. Before going on the IL, Gonzales recorded a surprisingly poor 5.40 ERA/4.87 SIERA in 28 1/3 innings, and his walk rate skyrocketed compared to 2020. He issued walks just 2.5 percent of the time then, but he’s up to 9.1 now.
Padres reliever Drew Pomeranz has suffered a setback in his recovery from a left shoulder impingement, manager Jayce Tingler announced to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com and other reporters. The Padres will shut Pomeranz down from throwing for about a week and then decide how to proceed. Unfortunately, injuries have been a common problem since Pomeranz’s career began in 2011. When healthy, though, he has been a revelation for the Padres since they inked him to a four-year, $34MM contract before 2020. Dating back to then, the 32-year-old has registered a 1.67 ERA with a highly impressive 38 percent strikeout rate in 32 1/3 innings, including 13 2/3 this season.
Despite his encouraging start to the season at the Triple-A level, the Angels have not recalled top outfield prospect Jo Adell. That doesn’t look as if it’s going to change imminently, as general manager Perry Minasian said Tuesday (via Bill Shaikin of the LA Times): “He’s making some strides. He’s not there yet.” While the 22-year-old Adell has hit a power-packed .266/.326/.696 with 10 home runs in 86 plate appearances, he has posted a high strikeout rate of 33.7 percent at the same time. Strikeouts have been an issue over the past few years for Adell, including during his major league debut last season. He fanned in 41.7 percent of his 132 PA then and batted a woeful .161/.212/.266.

NL West Notes: Dickerson, Belt, Taylor, Weaver, Marte

By Mark Polishuk | May 16, 2021 at 7:46pm CDT

The Giants activated outfielder Alex Dickerson off the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game with the Pirates, and Dickerson went 1-for-5 with a single in the 4-1 San Francisco victory. Dickerson only missed the minimum 10 days while recovering from a right shoulder impingement, and he’ll look to get on track at the plate after hitting only .213/.276/.338 over his first 87 plate appearances. Dickerson was a much more productive hitter in 2019-20, batting a somewhat under-the-radar .286/.350/.529 in 360 PA, all but 19 of which came in a Giants uniform.

Dickerson’s return could help a lineup hampered by the continued absence of Brandon Belt, who was a late scratch for today’s game. Belt left Tuesday’s game due to left side tightness and has made only two appearances since (one as a starter, and one as a pinch-hitter). It’s possible an IL stint might be necessary for Belt, who has impressed with a .233/.360/.495 slash line and eight home runs in his first 125 PA of the season.

Injury Notes: Grandal, Belt, Miller, Akiyama

By Mark Polishuk | March 13, 2021 at 10:50pm CDT

After suffering a twisted knee early in camp, Yasmani Grandal played in his first game of the spring today. Grandal was in the White Sox lineup as a DH, and it isn’t yet known when he might return to his usual spot at catcher. Grandal told reporters (including NBC Sports Chicago’s Vinnie Duber) that he is focused on his catching preparation, saying “right now, repetition behind the plate is probably No. 1. I could (not) care less if I start off the season hitting or not. I know the bat is going to come through at some point, and once that happens, then it’s a done deal.”

Given the length of time between now and Opening Day, it doesn’t seem like Grandal will require any sort of injured list trip to allow him another week to get fully ready. With James McCann now signed with the Mets, Chicago’s backup catching options include the inexperienced Zack Collins and veteran Jonathan Lucroy (in camp on a minor league deal), and Grandal is expected to take more of the catching load in 2021.

More on some injury situations from around the league…

Brandon Belt’s readiness for the Giants’ opener is more of a question, as he got a late start on Spring Training and still hasn’t played in any games. Belt told reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) that he spent several weeks recovering first from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and then a case of mono almost immediately afterwards. Beyond these twin illnesses, Belt’s readiness for Opening Day was already a bit up in the air due to his heel surgery from last October. While Belt is a major contributor to the Giants’ offense, the team at least has quite a bit of first base depth — Darin Ruf, Wilmer Flores, Austin Slater, Tommy La Stella, or even Buster Posey — to fill the gap until Belt is ready to play.
Brad Miller was a late scratch from today’s Phillies lineup after suffering a ribcage injury during a running drill. Manager Joe Girardi told NBC Sports’ Jim Salisbury and other reporters that Miller suffered a “tweak” and will get further testing done to determine the extent of the injury. There certainly appears to be some concern that Miller has hurt his oblique, which would require at least a few weeks out of action and an IL stint. After initially playing for the Phillies in 2019, Miller spent last season with the Cardinals before signing a one-year, $3.5MM deal this winter to return to Philadelphia. The 31-year Miller brings both multi-positional value and a solid bat (.247/.343/.510 with 20 home runs over 341 plate appearances in 2019-20) to the roster, making him a difficult player to replace for the Phils if indeed Miller does end up on the IL.
Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama left tonight’s game with a tight left hamstring and will be re-evaluated tomorrow. In his first MLB season, Akiyama hit .245/.357/.297 in 183 PA, though he hit significantly better in September and October once he became more adjusted to Major League pitching. Between this improved bat and some solid glovework, Akiyama was being counted on for at least a big part-time role in Cincinnati’s outfield, though those plans could be altered should his hamstring injury prove serious.

NL West Notes: Arenado, Braves, Cubs, Escobar, Belt

By Mark Polishuk | February 6, 2021 at 5:16pm CDT

The Braves had some talks with the Rockies about Nolan Arenado before the star third baseman was dealt to the Cardinals, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (subscription required). Rosenthal also sheds some light on one of last offseason’s more intriguing rumors, the talks between the Rockies and Cubs about a trade involving both Arenado and Kris Bryant. Jason Heyward was also part of the negotiations at one point as the Cubs looked for payroll offset for Arenado’s contract, though the Rockies weren’t interested in adding any money beyond the 2021 season (which marks the end of Bryant’s current contract and when Arenado could have exercised his opt-out clause).

As Rosenthal notes, the Cubs could end up looking back on those talks as “a what-might-have-been” given that they’ll now be facing Arenado on a regular basis in the NL Central. From Colorado’s perspective, such a trade might not have been a clear win if a Rockies-bound Bryant had suffered a similar run of injuries that hampered him in the actual 2020 season, but it still might have drawn better reviews than their trade package from St. Louis. “Rival executives remain baffled by the deal,” Rosenthal writes, as the Rox rather inexplicably worked themselves into an unsalvageable situation with their best player.

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