Giants: Payroll not an issue if opportunity to add star arises
For the first time in the Farhan Zaidi Era, the Giants go into the frenzy of the tradedeadline month in a position to add a significant piece or two.
This is a little unexpected: 2021 was supposed to be a season in which the team improved and played competitively, but shed a lot of payroll. Instead, they might be looking for some highsalaried starting pitchers who cost fewer prospects, because the team has so carefully improved the minorleague system, as Zaidi, the team’s president of baseball operations, mentioned recently on The Chronicle’s Giants Splash podcast.
San Francisco does have the financial wherewithal to make some big additions. “If there’s an opportunity to add payroll
LOS ANGELES — The odds of Brandon Belt avoiding knee surgery are improving, a relief to the Giants as they envision their firstbase options in the second half.
“Uplifting,” manager Gabe Kapler said Monday.
The Giants are optimistic Belt could rehab his damaged right knee rather than undergo an operation. He had a second opinion Monday with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles — “minimal structural damage,” Kapler reported — and a third opinion is coming Wednesday with Dr. Timothy McAdams at Stanford.
Belt was hurt running the bases last week in Anaheim, the initial diagnosis being inflammation, and he was placed on the 10day injured list. The knee was surgically repaired (meniscus, cartilage) in September 2018.
“We all saw it as a positive news,” Kapler said of Monday’s report from ElAttrache while remaining guarded until the meeting with McAdams. “Maybe the timeline isn’t as ominous if there’s no surgical procedure.”
Belt is hitting .253 with 11 home runs and an .875 OPS in 55 games. In the abbreviated 2020 season, he put up career numbers: .309 with a 1.015 OPS in 51 games while adding 11 homers.
LaMonte Wade Jr., who took Belt’s roster spot, started at first base Monday. Other options are Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores, though Flores is getting significant time at third with Evan Longoria shelved.
“If you had asked me before the season who I would bet on to have a great season right in the middle of our lineup, I think I would have probably said Brandon Belt because of his track record and because of how dependable he was last year,” Kapler said.
Briefly: Kevin Gausman, Tuesday’s starter, is in line to pitch the Sunday before the AllStar Game, which would make it doubtful he could appear as an AllStar, unless perhaps it’s facing one batter. “I imagine Gausman is going to want to take the ball for us that day, and we’re going to want him to pitch,” Kapler said. “I always understand how important it is for a pitcher to think about AllStar Game appearance, and I think if you asked Kevin right now, he’s pretty focused on his Giants starts.” ... Logan Webb’s next rehab assignment will be Thursday, a twoinning, 30pitch plan for either TripleA Sacramento or LowA San Jose. The Giants are debating whether to bring him back as a reliever more quickly or extend the rehab assignment to extend his innings.