Panik on the shelf for 6 weeks
Second baseman out until mid-June after thumb surgery
SAN FRANCISCO >> Who’s on second for the Giants?
Not Joe Panik until midJune.
That was the news that greeted the Giants Monday before opening a three-game series against the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park. The Giants were in a celebratory mood several hours later after Nick Hundley’s two-run, two-out single in the ninth inning capped a three-run rally to beat San Diego 6-5.
Besides having an all-star game, a gold glove and the distinction of being the first player to open the season with solo home runs in consecutive 1-0 victories on his resume, Panik has a lengthy history of injuries.
The Giants found out they would be without one of the key components of their infield defense for approximately six weeks after Panik underwent thumb surgery following a second-opinion with Dr. Stephen Shin in Los Angeles.
“All went well,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of the surgery. “He had the ligament repaired and we’re probably looking at six weeks.”
It was the diagnosis the Giants feared, and they opened a three-game series against the San Diego Padres with rookie Alen Hanson at second base.
In Panik’s absence, the Giants are expected to start the switch-hitting Hanson against right-handers and Kelby Tomlinson against lefthanders until Panik returns.
Tomlinson started at shortstop Monday night, and he and Hanson turned a 6-4-3 double play which got starter Jeff Samardzija out of the third inning. In the fifth inning, Hanson fielded a slow roller by Franchy Cordero and made an off-balance throw to first for the third out which prevented Eric Hosmer from scoring from third base.
Panik will rejoin the team today and probably rehab during the upcoming road trip in Arizona. Panik, hitting .267 with three homers and five RBIs, was injured on a tag play on a pickoff attempt at second of the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig Friday night.
It’s the latest in a line of injuries for the former firstround draft pick out of St. John’s.
Given the amount of time Panik will miss this season, his 138 games played a year ago remains his career high.
In 2015, Panik had lower back issues that were eventually diagnosed as an L5 vertebra fracture. The following season, Panik missed most of the month of July with a concussion and recurring symptoms.
Bochy felt fortunate that the injury was to Panik’s glove hand, not to his throwing hand.
“I think he can ramp up the rehab a little bit more than if it was the right hand, whether it’s one-arm swinging,” Bochy said. “He can throw, he can do a lot of things with the right arm. You’ve got to keep the throwing arm in shape.”
It’s been conga line to the disabled list for the Giants in 2018, so much so that hovering near .500 is an accomplishment not be discounted.
Left-handed pitcher Madison Bumgarner, who broke the fifth metacarpal on his pitching hand in his final spring training start, has missed all season and will get checked in Arizona and hopefully resume throwing soon.
Starting pitchers Johnny Cueto (ankle) and Samardzija (pectoral strain) — Monday night’s starter — spent time on the D.L. Relief pitcher Mark Melancon opened the season on the disabled list because of a right elbow flexor strain and has been throwing lately after receiving an April 12 stem cell injection of his pronator.
Injured position players include outfielders Hunter Pence (right thumb sprain) and Mac Williamson, who is on the concussion list and not eligible to return this weekend.
Expected back Wednesday is left-handed reliever Will Smith, who pitched twice for Class AAA Sacramento after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
“It’s a little easier replacing the position players,” Bochy said. “The (starting pitchers), they’re the toughest. Our pitching has been pretty good despite losing Melancon, Will Smith and our three starters who have been on the D.L.
“That’s what I’m happy about. We’ve hung in there.”
• Hundley, who delivered the game-winning hit in the ninth, was the last player on the bench and Bochy was virtually out of pitching when the Giants somehow won the game.
Pinch-hitter Austin Slater was hit by a pitch by losing pitcher Brad Hand, who then struck out Gorkys Hernandez and Andrew McCutchen.
Buster Posey then drew a walk, with Evan Longoria blooping a single to left to bring home Slater and make it 5-4.
Brandon Belt followed and also saw several pitches against Hand, drawing another walk.
Hundley was next and he drove a single past shortstop for the game-winning runs.
Bochy said he had utilized virtually all his pitching, with closer Hunter Strickland available for possible one inning, but no more. After that, Bochy said Belt would have been the next in line.