DeSclafani placed on IL
PHOENIX — After working just 332⁄3 innings last season, a full workload has left Giants starter Anthony DeSclafani with some arm fatigue, and he will miss one start to get refreshed.
The Giants placed DeSclafani on the 10day injured list Wednesday, retroactive to Tuesday, when infielder Tommy La Stella came off the 60day IL.
Lefthander Conner Menez was designated for assignment to open up a 40man roster spot.
DeSclafani has had some wobbles in recent starts after a terrific first half. He had a 2.68
ERA in 18 starts before the AllStar break but has a 6.63 mark in four starts since, and his usually reliable slider has not been as sharp. He’s thrown 1261⁄3 innings overall.
“I think it’s just an opportunity for him to be at his healthiest and his strongest down the stretch right now,” manager Gabe Kapler said. “The expectation is that he’ll miss one start. These things can take some twists and turns, but that’s the expectation right now, and we felt like it was the right time to get him as healthy and strong as possible.”
Kapler said that the upcoming rotation hasn’t been determined; Aaron Sanchez, who worked three innings Tuesday night, is a possibility to pitch Saturday, which would have been DeSclafani’s next scheduled start. Sammy Long and Tyler Beede, both at TripleA Sacramento, might be options.
With the Giants using the IL, the team didn’t need to chose between infielders Thairo Estrada and Donovan Solano for roster purposes — a good thing, because Estrada wound up in the lineup when Mike Yastrzemski was a late scratch with hamstring tightness.
La Stella, who missed three months with a hamstring strain and a fractured thumb, was at second base Wednesday, and new acquisition Kris Bryant was not in the starting lineup as Kapler tries to find days during this series to get some rest for his regulars.
Menez, 26, had allowed 10 runs in his past 14 innings at TripleA Sacramento and was unlikely to be an option to start in San Francisco this year.
Looking ahead: San Francisco’s tentative 2022 schedule includes games against the AL Central and opens on the road for the 13th consecutive season. The Giants enjoy opening the season away because it means they’ll finish at home, potentially during the most important week of a playoff push. They’ll welcome Colorado and Arizona from Sept. 27Oct 2.
Next season will begin with a fourgame series at San Diego that begins March 31, and the team will head to Milwaukee for three games before the home opener April 8 against Miami.
The A’s will visit Oracle Park on April 2627 and San Francisco will play at Oakland on Aug 67. The Giants also have series at Cleveland (April 1517), Detroit (Aug. 2324) and Minnesota (Aug. 2328). The Royals ( June 1315), Tigers ( June 2829) and White Sox ( July 13) will play interleague games at Oracle Park.
The Giants’ longest homestand of the year will be June 715, with games against the Rockies, Dodgers and Royals.
The team will be on the road for most summer holiday events, but the Giants will be home for Mother’s Day, with a May 8 game against the Cardinals.
Game times and broadcast information will be announced at later dates.