Crawford placed on DL
The Giants figured they would lose Brandon Crawford for more than three games when he hurt his groin Tuesday night, so Saturday’s move was inevitable.
They moved Crawford from the three-day bereavement list to the 10-day disabled list, which will give the shortstop time to heal. He is eligible to return in Cincinnati on Saturday, and manager Bruce Bochy said the medical staff expects him to be ready just about then.
Although Crawford’s loss for any length of time hurts the Giants defensively, they have no shortage of shortstops. Christian Arroyo has started the past two games there. When Eduardo Nuñez and Arroyo are both on the infield, Arroyo plays third and Nuñez short. Kelby Tomlinson can play short, too.
“We do have depth and versatility,” Bochy said.
Bochy has tested that versatility
amid a rash of injuries, slumps and games off for regulars.
On Saturday night he started an outfield of Brandon Belt in left, Drew Stubbs in center and Nuñez in right.
Bochy’s plan in games like this is to get a lead and move players to better-suited defensive positions as quickly as he can. He did so Saturday, moving Belt to first and Nuñez to left, with Gorkys Hernandez entering in right, as soon as the Giants took a 3-1 lead in the fifth.
Stubbs’ role: The Giants know the deal with Stubbs. He strikes out — a lot. But they tried to get him even before they signed him to a minor-league contract April 5, because he is an excellent defensive center fielder.
Stubbs said the Giants talked about getting him last summer, either via trade or a signing, when the Rangers cut him loose at the end of August. But the Orioles claimed him.
After the Twins released him this spring, he signed with the Giants after Opening Day, knowing they were short on outfielders. Denard Span’s injury gave him an opening to return to the majors.
“I wanted to find a place where I could get back to the big leagues as soon as possible,” said Stubbs, a first-round pick by the Reds in 2006. “There were no guarantees here.”
Stubbs had one slight connection with the Giants. He got his first big-league hit against them in 2009, a blooper off Barry Zito in a 1-0 Reds loss in Cincinnati. Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.