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Logan Webb

Giants Notes: Posey, Webb, La Stella, Sanchez, Rotation

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The Giants activated right-hander Logan Webb from the 10-day injured list to start tonight’s game against the Nationals. In a corresponding move, Buster Posey was placed on the 10-day IL, retroactive to July 6, with a left thumb contusion.

Posey hasn’t played since leaving last Sunday’s game early after being struck by a foul tip. It doesn’t seem there’s huge cause for concern, as the star backstop told reporters (including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area and Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic) he’s hopeful he’ll return when first eligible next Friday. That’d be the Giants first game coming out of the All-Star Break, and it doesn’t seem there was any chance of Posey playing during this weekend’s series with Washington. The former MVP told reporters he’s currently unable to catch or swing the bat. Of course, that’ll also rule Posey out from participating in the All-Star Game, which he’d been slated to start as the National League’s representative at catcher.

In better health news for the Giants, infielder Tommy La Stella is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Pavlovic). A significant hamstring strain sent La Stella to the injured list on May 4. He began a rehab assignment in late June but suffered a fracture in his right hand that halted his recovery. It’s been a disappointing season for La Stella, who has hit .235/.297/.353 over his first 75 plate appearances.

He’ll be joined on the rehab assignment by right-hander Aaron Sanchez (relayed by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Like La Stella, Sanchez went on the IL in early May, began a rehab assignment last month, and then had to be shut down because of an unrelated setback. Sanchez’s initial injury was biceps inflammation, but his comeback was delayed by a blister. He’s apparently ready to return to game action, as he’ll start for Low-A San Jose tomorrow night.

Getting Webb and Sanchez back should help fortify a starting rotation that has been one of the league’s best. Nevertheless, San Francisco president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi suggested the club could be in the market for external rotation help before the July 30 trade deadline (via Maria Guardado of MLB.com). With Kevin Gausman, Anthony DeSclafani, Alex Wood, Johnny Cueto and Webb all having decent to stellar seasons, there seems to be little room on the surface for another starter, especially with Sanchez nearing a return.

That’s a group that (aside from Gausman) has traditionally had issues staying healthy, though, so it’s plenty sensible for the San Francisco front office to look to add some depth. At 54-32, the Giants are up a game on the Dodgers and four games up on the Padres in a tightly-contested NL West. There’s plenty of logic in safeguarding against potential injuries for the stretch run.

There’s also the matter of the Giants longer-term outlook to consider. Of their current starters, only Webb is a lock to be back in 2022. Gausman, DeSclafani and Wood are all slated to hit free agency, while Cueto’s $22MM club option is likely to be bought out for $5MM. Zaidi downplayed the importance of adding a multi-year player — instead suggesting the bigger priority is simply stockpiling depth for the second half of 2021 — but the front office figures to at least explore acquisitions of potential starters who could solidify the rotation beyond this season as well.

Giants Place Mike Yastrzemski, Logan Webb On Injured List

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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).

Giants Activate Wilmer Flores, Logan Webb From 10-Day IL

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The Giants activated infielder Wilmer Flores and right-hander Logan Webb from the 10-day injured list.  Both players are slated to return to action tonight, as Webb is scheduled to start tonight’s game with the Dodgers and Flores is in the lineup as the starting first baseman.  Righty Nick Tropeano and infielder Jason Vosler were optioned to Triple-A to create roster space.

Both Flores and Webb will end up missing the minimum 10 days due to what (thankfully) appears to have been minor injuries.  Flores hit the IL due to a right hamstring strain, while Webb was sidelined with a right shoulder strain.

Flores’ return comes at a particularly opportune time for the Giants, as first basemen Brandon Belt and Darin Ruf are both on the 10-day IL themselves.  The club can now at least tread water at the position with an experienced first baseman like Flores, plus Austin Slater and LaMonte Wade Jr. can also fill in at first base in a pinch.  Flores is off to something of a slow start this year, with a .219/.308/.343 slash line over 120 plate appearances that is well off his .277/.323/.469 mark from 2016-20.

San Francisco has gotten strong results from its starting pitchers this year, Webb included.  The right-hander has a 4.09 ERA/3.50 SIERA over 44 innings, with a strong 58.7% grounder rate and a strikeout rate (25%) that is slightly above the league average.

Giants To Place Aaron Sanchez On 10-Day Injured List

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The Giants will place starter Aaron Sanchez on the 10-day injured list because of right biceps tightness, per MLB.com’s Maria I. Guardado (via Twitter).

Once again, that means that Logan Webb will remain in the rotation. The Giants have been on the verge of shifting Webb to the bullpen on numerous occasions this season, but each time he’s been granted a reprieve. Alex Wood’s activation off the injured list would have sent Webb to the pen, but Johnny Cueto went down. Now that Cueto is set to return to the rotation tomorrow, Sanchez’s injury will again delay the Giants’ ability to try out Webb as a multi-inning reliever. Webb has a 5.34 ERA/3.74 FIP in 32 innings this season while excelling at burning worms with a 59.3 percent groundball rate.

Sanchez, for his part, has the makings of a comeback-type season. Through six starts, the 28-year-old righty has a 3.18 ERA/3.79 FIP across 28 1/3 innings. Like Webb, he’s done a tremendous job of keeping the ball on the ground with a 56 percent groundball rate that mirrors the type of numbers he put up early in his career with Toronto.

For the time being, then, Webb will stay in the rotation with Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood, while Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman will be welcomed back into the fold to round of their starting five.

Giants Make Several Roster Moves

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The Giants made a number of roster moves ahead of tonight’s game. The biggest bit of news is the return of Mike Yastrzemski, who has been out since April 26th. While he’s not in the lineup tonight, he is available off the bench and should return to the lineup in the next couple of days. The 30-year-old outfielder put up a .215/.303/.468 line before straining his oblique.

With Yaz coming off the injured list, Alex Dickerson is heading the other way. Dickerson lands on the injured list with a bone bruise on his shoulder. Coming off a 150 wRC+ over a 52-game stretch in 2020, Dickerson has stumbled to a .213/.280/.347 line to start the season (79 wRC+). His strikeout rate is up from 17.6 percent to 22.0 percent, and his walk rate is down from 9.4 percent to 6.1 percent. He’ll get an opportunity to reset after recovering from this shoulder impingement.

Jarlin Garcia has also been added to the active roster taking Joey Bart’s spot after he was optioned to Triple-A, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links). Garcia had been out with left knee tendinitis. He surrendered six earned runs over 6 1/3 innings in five appearances early this season. All in all, it was a mixed bag for the 28-year-old southpaw, who managed a strong 32.1 percent strikeout rate despite serving up a pair of home runs and struggling with his command to the tune of a way-too-high 17.9 percent walk rate.

Finally, Johnny Cueto will return to the rotation on Sunday, and with Kevin Gausman set to return after his second vaccine shot, Logan Webb is likely headed to the bullpen. The Giants have been planning to use him as multi-inning reliever out of the pen, but injuries to Cueto and Alex Wood have kept him in the rotation to start the year. The Giants will need to make a roster move to bring Cueto back, with Sam Selman and Zack Littell being possible candidates for demotion, writes Slusser.

Injury Notes: Pham, Cueto, Flores, Yaz, Springer

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Tommy Pham came up limping after grounding out in the second inning of tonight’s Padres game in Los Angeles, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com (via Twitter). Pham stopped running about halfway down the baseline, clearly uncomfortable. Pham’s reaction, while muted, also suggested that he knew something was off as he reached for his ankle. An Achilles injury is the fear, but the injury appears to be left calf tightness, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). As for tonight, Jorge Mateo took over in left for Pham. Elsewhere…

  • Johnny Cueto is likely to miss a third start before returning from the injured list, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). Cueto was placed on the injured list ten days ago with a grade 1 lat strain. The expectation at the time was that he would miss two starts, so it sounds like he’ll miss that target. That said, there was no indication that the injury was any more severe than originally diagnosed. Cueto should still be able to return shortly. In the meantime, Logan Webb will get at least one more turn in the rotation. Complicating matters in a good way for the Giants, Webb went seven scoreless against the Marlins today.
  • Also in San Francisco, Wilmer Flores missed today’s ballgame because he was under the weather, but after receiving fluids he’s on the mend. Mike Yastrzemski, meanwhile, was taken out of the game because of left oblique tightness, per the Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly (via Twitter). Because of their short bench, don’t be surprised if Yaz lands on the injured list tomorrow, but the team gave no indication one way or the other.
  • Blue Jays fans may finally get the chance to see offseason acquisition George Springer this week. Per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sports.net.ca (via Twitter), manager Charlie Montoyo said, ““I’m optimistic that Springer’s got a good chance on Tuesday.” Springer’s return still hinges on his a final check-up, but the club hopes the 31-year-old will be in the lineup to face Max Scherzer in Dunedin on Tuesday.

Giants Designate Trevor Gott For Assignment

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The Giants announced that they’ve designated right-hander Trevor Gott for assignment and optioned lefty Sam Selman to their alternate training site. The pair of moves makes room for lefty Jake McGee and righty Logan Webb to be reinstated from the injured list.

This is the second time since the offseason that the Giants have designated Gott, who lasted just one day on their roster this time. The Giants selected Gott heading into Monday’s game against the Phillies, though he didn’t make an appearance. Now, with McGee and Webb back from a brief stay on the COVID list, he’s once again in DFA limbo.

The 28-year-old Gott is in his third season in the San Francisco organization, with which he saw significant action in 2019, totaling 52 2/3 innings. The Giants’ reliance on Gott has dwindled since then, however. All told, Gott has pitched to a 5.46 ERA (with a much better 4.23 SIERA) and a 24 percent strikeout rate against a 9.2 percent walk rate in 64 1/3 frames as a Giant.

COVID Notes: 4/18/21

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The latest on the coronavirus:

Latest Updates

Earlier Notes

  • Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernández was reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 on April 13. Fortunately, Hernández is no longer feeling symptoms of the virus, reports Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun (Twitter link). He’ll have to remain in quarantine for ten days from the time of his positive test under the league’s 2021 health and safety protocols. That he’s currently asymptomatic is obviously good news for Hernández personally and seems to bode well for his chances of returning to play in relatively short order once his mandatory quarantine is up.
  • Tigers starter Spencer Turnbull has been in the health and safety protocols for almost a month, having first been placed on the COVID-19 injured list on March 20. He has been building back arm strength in recent days, though, and manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Chris McCosky of the Detroit News) Turnbull could return to action early next week. It’s possible the Tigers will pivot to a six-man rotation at that point, adding Turnbull to a group currently consisting of Matthew Boyd, Michael Fulmer, José Ureña, Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize. Hinch said the organization hasn’t yet made that decision. If the Tigers were to go back to a five-man starting staff, Fulmer (who began the season in relief) or Ureña (who has struggled over three starts) would seem the most likely options to be bumped to the bullpen to make room for Turnbull. [UPDATE: Turnbull will start on Wednesday against the Pirates, per Jason Beck of MLB.com (Twitter link).]

Latest On Giants’ Rotation

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Alex Wood will be activated from the injured list to make his Giants’ debut, starting Sunday’s game against the Marlins, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports. Wood’s contract has a unique incentive structure that will pay out an additional $150K after 12 games of recording 10 or more outs. He receives more bonus cash after 14, 16, 18, 22, and 24 such games. Starting games certainly gives Wood the best chance to hit those markers, though health will be the biggest factor for the veteran southpaw.

Because of injures, Wood hasn’t been a regular rotation arm since back-to-back 150-inning seasons with the Dodgers in 2017 and 2018. Per Spotrac, Wood has seven career trips to the injured list, twice spending more than 100 days on the shelf. Arthroscopic debridement surgery on his left elbow limited him to 60 1/3 innings during the 2016 season. A back injury tanked his lone season with the Reds. He made just 7 starts covering 35 2/3 innings that year. Wood’s back has again given him problems this season.

With Wood joining the rotation, Logan Webb will head to the bullpen. Webb earned his rotation spot with a strong spring, but he’s off to a rough start. The 24-year-old has allowed 15 hits and five walks in just 10 1/3 innings in his two starts. While the move certainly may seem like a demotion, Pavlovic points out that Webb will be just the third right-hander in the Giants’ bullpen.

Of course, given today’s apparent injury to Johnny Cueto, the Giants may need to keep Webb in the rotation after all. Cueto left today’s game with a tight lat, per Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter). Cueto has been excellent on this young season, tossing 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his season debut against the Rockies. He got his second win on the season today against the Reds. The veteran logged 5 2/3 scoreless innings before being removed because of the injury.

Giants Roster “Pretty Settled”

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The Giants’ rotation took the early spotlight this winter as Kevin Gausman weighed multi-year deals against a short-term return to the Bay. Ultimately, Gausman brought his 3.62 ERA/3.09 FIP and 32.2 percent strikeout rate from 2020 back to San Francisco by accepting the club’s qualifying offer.

Slot Gausman at the top of the Giants’ rotation, then, and veteran Johnny Cueto right behind him. With Gausman on a one-year pact and the soon-to-be 35-year-old Cueto also facing free agency (assuming the Giants buy out their 2022 team option), the Giants have long-term flexibility at the top of their rotation. As much as malleability has become a chief asset throughout the game, the top of the rotation is the one place where teams probably prefer some stability. The Giants have some work to do in this regard, but that’s probably not a box they can check this winter.

Elsewhere, Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood are “locked into the rotation,” per Maria Guardado of MLB.com. The way in which those starts manifest themselves comes baked-in with more than a dash of uncertainty, especially given the unique incentives in Wood’s contract. His deal leaves open the possibility of taking his turns traditionally – or as an opener or follower. DeSclafani, meanwhile, has only twice made 30+ starts in a season, and he’s coming off a 7.22 ERA/5.52 SIERA in 33 2/3 innings – which included seven starts and two relief appearances. Regarding the stability/flexibility dichotomy, Wood and DeSclafani, like the top half of the rotation, are heading back to free agency after 2021.

Funny enough, Logan Webb, the frontrunner to land the Giants’ fifth starter spot, also probably has the most secure long-term future with the club. The 24-year-old owns a 5.36 ERA/4.64 SIERA over 94 career innings. In the short term, however, he’s most likely to find himself displaced from a regular role should President of Baseball Ops Farhan Zaidi continue to add from the outside. At least for now, that’s a real possibility, writes Guardado.

Interestingly, Zaidi sounded pretty certain that the rest of their roster was set. The Giants added Tommy La Stella to the top of their lineup this winter and Curt Casali to the bench. In the bullpen, Matt Wisler, John Brebbia, and Jake McGee joined the bullpen potentials along with Rule 5 selection Dedniel Nunez.

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