Posted on June 15, 2018, by Bryan Zarpentine
Image via sfchronicle.com
The San Francisco Giants have suffered another setback on the injury front. On Thursday, third baseman Evan Longoria suffered a broken left hand after being hit by Marlins pitcher Dan Straily. At this point, it’s unclear what treatment will be appropriate or how much time Longoria will miss. But there’s little doubt he will go on the DL and be out of action through at least the all-star break, possibly longer.
“It was a pretty traditional break,” Longoria told reporters after Thursday’s win over the Marlins. “It’s unfortunate. We’re just going to wait and see what the plan is. I don’t know if we’re going to have surgery or not. Obviously, they’re looking for the best solution right now. But this sucks. We’ve had our fair share of bumps and bruises this year. It’s part of the game. It’s unavoidable.”
The Giants acquired Longoria in a trade over the winter in hopes of quickly reloading for the 2018 season. After getting off to a fast start in April, Longoria’s season has gone downhill. He’s had a particularly tough time in June, hitting just .174 this month. Nevertheless, he’s hitting .246, contributing 10 home runs and an OPS of .711 this season. He also gives the Giants a proven veteran hitter in the middle of their lineup and a solid defensive player at the hot corner.
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“It’s a tough loss,” said Pablo Sandoval. “I don’t know how many days he’s going to be out, but we’re going to miss the guy. He’s a great hitter, great defensive player, and a great teammate. I hope he recovers well and comes back to help us get to the postseason.”
Ordinarily, Sandoval would be in line to step in for Longoria as San Francisco’s primary third baseman. However, Sandoval is currently filling the void at first base while Brandon Belt is on the DL. Belt had been the team’s best hitter before he required an emergency appendectomy. He’s close to returning, but the injury to Longoria could force the Giants to rush him back a few days early. On the bright side, Sandoval has had a solid season offensively, hitting .271 with an OPS of .765.
Nevertheless, the Giants will be hoping to get Longoria back as soon as possible. Longoria doesn’t believe he’ll be out as long as ace Madison Bumgarner, who suffered a similar injury during spring training. Bumgarner ended up missing the first two months of the season.
“I’ll push as hard as I can to get back as soon as I can,” says Longoria. “I’ve just got to get that bone healed and start working towards getting back.”
The loss of Longoria is the latest in a string of injuries the Giants have been forced to endure. In addition to Bumgarner and Belt, Johnny Cueto has also had an extended stint on the DL. Despite the injuries, the Giants are just one game under .500. They also remain within striking distance of first place in a tight and competitive NL West. If they survived without Bumgarner and Cueto for so long, surely they can survive the loss of Longoria. Nevertheless, it is yet another setback for the Giants in a season that continues to be plagued by injuries.