S.F. puts Cueto on DL
The Giants’ clubhouse got weirder by the minute Tuesday. First, reliever Steven Okert walked in with a suitcase. Then Mike Henry appeared. He is the voice actor who portrays the characters Cleveland, Herbert the old man and Consuela on “Family Guy.”
Henry was there to see old friend Derek Holland, who does voices himself, including a mean Cleveland. They met on the sidelines of a Dallas Cowboys game.
Finally, starter Andrew Suarez rolled in, a bit overwhelmed but happy to be in a big-league clubhouse.
The picture became clear when manager Bruce Bochy announced that Johnny Cueto, his top starter in Madison Bumgarner’s absence, sprained his left ankle during a weekend workout, which explained why the club kept pushing back his next start.
Suarez will make his bigleague debut in Cueto’s place Wednesday, making it two debuts in two days after Tyler Beede’s on Tuesday night.
“You know what?” Bochy said. “They were in majorleague camp. They got a lot of work in. We have a lot of (bullpen) coverage here. Sure, it’s a little unusual for two guys to make their debuts. … But they were in major-league camp competing for jobs, and here they are.”
The Giants promoted Okert from Triple-A Sacramento to take Cueto’s spot on the roster and add bullpen coverage Tuesday. They will have to make another 25-man roster move and clear a 40-man spot for Suarez before Wednesday’s game.
As dire as all this sounds, the Giants are confident that Cueto is not seriously hurt and they could have him and Jeff Samardzija back in the rotation next week.
Cueto threw off a mound at 70 percent Tuesday. The Giants are being cautious for fear he could injure the ankle further by fielding a bunt or covering first base. He turned the other ankle making a defensive play against the Mariners last Wednesday.
Cueto can return as soon as Tuesday’s series opener in Phoenix. Samardzija could rejoin the rotation two days later if all goes well in a rehab start at San Jose on Saturday.
Suarez admitted he was surprised when Triple-A Sacramento manager Dave Brundage told him to pack his bags and drive to San Francisco.
He arrived before batting practice, unsure whether he would be activated Tuesday.
“I guess I should find out,” said Suarez, a 25-year-old whom the Giants selected in the second round of the 2015 draft out of the University of Miami. He has pitched once this season, four shutout innings in Sacramento’s season opener at rainy Tacoma on Thursday.