Solano takes step back with Crawford return
SAN FRANCISCO >> The Giants are so hot coming off a 40-run outburst during a four-game road winning streak they benched a hitter with a 10-game winning streak Friday night.
Donovan Solano, who stepped in at shortstop while Brandon Crawford recovered from a hamstring strain, hit .375 on the just concluded road trip and his 14 for 39 in his past 10 games — with at least one hit in each.
With Crawford back in the lineup, Solano was back in his familiar utility role, backing up at both short and second as the Giants opened a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Oracle Park.
At age 31, and not having played in the majors since 2016, Solano credited his ability to step in and produce to a consistent routine.
“Hitting is not easy, so you just have to try and make it simple, keep it simple, have a good approach when you go up to bat,” the Colombian infielder told reporters in San Diego through a translator. “I guess everything that I’ve been practicing when I’m not playing, I’m able to keep it simple and it’s paying off.”
Solano is far from your prototypical infielder. He’s stocky at 5-foot-7, 205 pounds, rather than the longer, leaner look that is in
vogue among prospects. But since mid-May, he’s made it impossible for the Giants to make him one of their frequent moves to Triple-A Sacramento. Solano is hitting .308, is 6 for 13 (.462) with runners in scoring position and is hitting .380 (19 for 50) in his past 16 games.
“Your bench plays such a critical role in your season,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “At some point they’re going to play a major role and that’s what he’s done for us. Craw goes down for the whole series. He goes out and plays a great short, gets huge hits for us. Play him at second and he’s done a nice job … just gives you a professional at-bat.”
Bochy was also impressed when Solano, on base when the Padres had shifted their defense, reacted perfectly on a line drive out and went back to the base.
“It was one of those that was hit into the shift and he went right back to first,” Bochy said. “He just has great game awareness.”
Solano spent last season in the Dodgers organization and although he never played at the major league level with Los Angeles, did enough in the minors to impress then Dodgers-exec Farhan Zaidi. Besides shortstop and second, Solano has the capability to play third base and even left field if necessary.
The Giants, Solano said, had made attempts to sign him even before Zaidi came aboard. As for the recent run of success, Solano gave credit to a higher power.
“I’m a believer and I have a deal with God, and the deal is I’m going to continue working and persist and not
give up and when He opens the door, I’m going to take advantage of it.”
• President/CEO Larry Baer held a brief clubhouse meeting with players in the Giants’ first home game since his three-month MLBissued suspension ended on July 2 over a public altercation with his wife.
Baer, who did not speak with the media, arrived at around 4 p.m., and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi was also present. The media was cleared from the clubhouse before it started at 4:05 p.m., and players began to emerge in the dugout and head to the field less than 10 minutes after it began.
“Just wanted to talk to the fellas for a little bit,” Bochy said. “That’s really all I’m going to say. He wanted a few minutes, it’s the first time we’ve had to address him.”
• The last time Bochy remembered being off on the Fourth of July, Richard Nixon was a little over a month away from resigning as president of the U.S.
“I was kidding last week, the last time I remember having July 4 off was 1974 — the year before I signed,” Bochy said. The Giants manager did what many players do with a free day and went golfing. “I think it was an 88,” Bochy said of his score. “Wasn’t bad for not playing. When you haven’t played in a while, that’s a lot of holes. I think they should cut it into three sixes, so you can stop after six, 12 or go on and play 18. • Left-handed reliever Travis Bergen, who has missed 43 games with a left shoulder strain, felt some stiffness in his last rehab start and has been shut down through the All-Star break. • Bochy said he has not yet determined the Giants pitching rotation after the All-Star break. Drew Pomeranz (2-8, 6.25) opposed Dakota Hudson on Friday night, with Madison Bumgarner (5-7, 4.02) facing Mikes Mikolas (5-8, 4.34) tonight and Jeff Samardzija (5-7, 4.32) against Jack Flaherty (4-5, 4.75) on Sunday.