Giants place Belt on IL, recall infielder
After the Giants placed LaMonte Wade Jr. on the injured list with left knee inflammation on Friday, another key left-handed hitter is also set to miss time.
Minutes after the first pitch of the Giants' series finale against the Padres was thrown on Sunday, the club announced that first baseman Brandon Belt has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation.
The team recalled righthanded hitting infielder Kevin Padlo from Triple-A Sacramento to take Belt's spot on the 26-man roster.
Belt was scratched from the team's lineup on Saturday against the Padres with knee soreness, but because he hasn't appeared in the series, Belt's injured list placement is retroactive to May 19. The Giants haven't announced a timetable for Belt's return, but he's eligible to come off the injured list as soon as Sunday, May 29 when San Francisco finishes a three-game set in Cincinnati against the Reds.
Wade, meanwhile, has a bone bruise in his knee that's expected to keep him out of the lineup for at least a few weeks.
Belt's injury robs the Giants of a second key lefthanded power threat as he and Wade combined to hit 47 home runs last year. When Belt dealt with various injuries in 2021, Wade was often manager Gabe Kapler's top choice to fill in at first base.
Right-handed hitting infielder Wilmer Flores started at first base Sunday against San Diego and the Giants may have to move forward without a solid lefthanded hitting platoon option at the position until either Belt or Wade is cleared to return.
Darin Ruf has also started at first base recently and Padlo, who was acquired in a trade with the Mariners in April, has experience playing first base in the minors. Padlo has eight home runs and an .844 OPS in 107 Triple-A at-bats this season.
It's unclear whether the Giants would consider using Tommy La Stella at first base, but La Stella has 12 career appearances at the position.