Longoria’s glove in a funk

MIAMI — Evan Longoria won his third Gold Glove in 2017 but hasn’t been defending up to par in his first season with the Giants.

“I just haven’t played all that great defensively,” he said Tuesday. “I don’t have an excuse for it. I’ve just got to continue to work.”

Longoria committed his 11th error Monday, an alarming number, considering he made 12 all of last season and has a career high of 14. Longoria is two errors behind Boston third baseman Rafael Devers, who has the most errors in the majors at any position.

Longoria spent his first 10 seasons with Tampa Bay and played his home games indoors on artificial turf, which can provide more true hops than on grass or dirt. Quite a difference from the AT&T Park elements.

“At our place, it is an adjustment with the wind and the cold and the damp,” infield coach

Ron Wotus said. “I’m not making excuses for him, and he wouldn’t make excuses. But it’s not an easy place to play.”

Though agreeing the Giants’ park is a tougher place than the Rays’ park, Longoria said it’s a nonfactor. “As I’ve played more games there (in San Francisco), I definitely feel more comfortable,” he said.

The .248-hitting Longoria added, “It’s like anything in this game. A lot of it is mental. You go in streaks up and down and start to get in a little bit of a funk — it’s the same offensively — and you start thinking about things you never thought about before and maybe press too much, try to make plays you shouldn’t try to make or try to make them in different ways.

“It just kind of compounds itself. My focus has been to continue to work and believe in myself and try to get myself back on a good run where I start to feel some confidence and build off that.”

Advanced defensive metrics tell a similar story. Longoria led AL third basemen with 11 defensive runs saved last year. This year, he’s at -2. He still makes fantastic plays on a regular basis, though. On Tuesday, he charged a bunt by JT Riddle and threw across his body for the out, making a tough play look routine.

“You can go through this whether you’re a fielder or a hitter,” Wotus said. “A hitter’s not hitting .300 every year. It’s a new team. There’s adjusting. It’s definitely not who he is. He’s a Gold Glover. It’s not a big concern. He works to get better every day.”

Briefly: Brandon Belt, who had his appendix removed June 1, is progressing at the team’s training facility in Arizona. He’ll take batting practice Wednesday and join the team in Los Angeles this weekend, though it’s not known if he’ll need minor-league rehab games before rejoining the Giants . ... Jeff

Samardzija (shoulder) will begin his rehab assignment Friday with Triple-A Sacramento in Round Rock, Texas.