Panda at third? Not yet

Conor Gillaspie played third base Wednesday in the Giants’ first game after Eduardo Nuñez was traded. With three games against Dodgers left-handers this weekend, they plan to promote a right-handed third baseman. It will not be switch-hitting Pablo Sandoval.

Manager Bruce Bochy reiterated Wednesday that Sandoval needs more minor-league at-bats, and besides, he has not been a good right-handed hitter. The signs point toward Jae-gyun Hwang, who was optioned Saturday.

The Giants by rule must wait 10 days to recall Hwang unless he replaces a player on the disabled list. With every player going through some aches and pains after 100 games, they can find a legitimate candidate.

Switch-hitter Miguel Gomez has shown he can hit, but he played second base in the minors this year, and Bochy does not want to play a rookie out of position. Nor does Bochy view Kelby Tomlinson as an everyday third baseman.

The Giants replaced Hwang on the 25-man roster by purchasing the Triple-A contract of Carlos Moncrief, a 28-yearold outfielder originally with the Cleveland organization who had played 10 minor-league seasons without spending a day in the majors.

He got as far as the on-deck circle Wednesday to bat for Hunter Strickland in the eighth, but Gorkys Hernandez made the third out ahead of him.

“Just being out there, I was like, ‘This is it,’ ” Moncrief said.

Sacramento River Cats manager Dave Brundage tried to phone Moncrief to let him know he was going to the bigs, but Moncrief did not recognize the number, thought it was a bill collector and blew it off. Brundage tried again. When Moncrief saw the same number twice, he figured he’d better pick up.

Briefly: Johnny Cueto threw 45 pitches in his first bullpen session off the mound since he went on the disabled list with blisters on his pitching hand. Bochy said Cueto used all of his pitches, will throw with more intensity Friday, and could rejoin the rotation when the Giants return from Los Angeles and face the A’s during a fourgame home-and-home . ... The Giants will not use the off day to skip Matt Cain and have Madison Bumgarner face the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Sunday night so soon after Bumgarner’s return.