Posey a late scratch before game with A’s
Belt will be out indefinitely with knee inflammation
SAN FRANCISCO >> The Giants weren’t overly surprised to learn they’re going to be without first baseman Brandon Belt for awhile.
The unexpected news about an hour and a half before the first pitch Friday night is that they would be without catcher Buster Posey as well.
Belt is out indefinitely with right knee inflammation. Posey was a surprise scratch with lower back tightness. Whether the Posey move was precautionary is not known, as manager Gabe Kapler had already met the media when the announcement was made.
Belt was placed on the 10day injured list, but figures to be out much longer, with Kapler saying surgery was a possibility.
With Belt at the start of a rehab process, outfielder/ first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. was recalled from Sacramento and available to play as the Giants opened the Bay Bridge Series Friday night against the Athletics at Oracle Park.
Belt was injured running the bases Wednesday in Anaheim in a 9-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He was attempting to go from first to third on a single by Donovan Solano, and when the throw got away from third baseman Anthony Rendon, Belt took off for the plate.
He was thrown out easily, never attempted to slide, then went to the ground to be examined by the training staff. It didn’t look good at the time, and it didn’t look much better when Kapler saw Belt walk in to the clubhouse Thursday.
“He wasn’t moving around great,” Kapler in his first inperson pregame press conference of the season. “I asked him how he was doing and he was honest. I don’t think he’s in a particularly good space around this, but I think he also understands it’s important that he keeps a mindset that he’s going to help us a lot this season and that the beginning parts of this rehab are going to be important for him to hit the ground running.”
Whether that’s wishful thinking or not will play itself out over the next several days. When asked directly if Belt could need surgery, Kapler said, “I think the concerns are there, yeah.”
Belt, who had an earlier stint on the IL with an oblique strain, was hitting .253 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs with 28 walks and an OPS of .812. He’d even reached base twice in the last two games on bunts.
“He’s disappointed,” Kapler said. “I think he understands that this is probably not a 10day injury.”
Posey, who the Giants have carefully guided through the season to maintain his health and is the leading vote-getter at his position for the National League All-Star team, was originally in the lineup against the Athletics and batting fourth.
However, about 90 minutes before game time, the Giants announced Posey would be out. A new lineup was submitted with Curt Casali catching and batting eighth.
Wade’s return to Sacramento after being optioned to Triple-A lasted exactly one game before he found his way back to San Francisco. He played left field and first base Thursday in an 8-0 win over Reno, hitting a home run and going 1-for-2.
“You never want to come back like that,” Wade said. “I hope he’s doing good. I hope he can come back because we really need him. I’ll help out and do the best I can while he’s gone.”
Wade’s demotion was at least a mild surprise in that he’s been a contributor in both the outfield and been surprisingly good at first base.
“He’s as professional as they come and I think he also understands the landscape well,” Kapler said. “One thing we discussed was there might not be that many at-bats for him given the full roster and Belt fully healthy. So it kind of made some sense to get him some regular reps in case something like this happened.
“Now he’s got a pretty meaningful path to not only first base at-bats but at-bats off the bench and some outfield reps as well.”
Even with Wade being a more capable first baseman than anticipated, Belt’s prowess at the position will be noticeable.
“As good as LaMonte is and as good as (Darin) Ruff is over there, Brandon Belt is kind of another level when it comes to footwork and putting himself in good ppostion to take care of the other infielders on the diamond,” Kapler said.
Notes
• Third baseman Evan Longoria (left shoulder sprain) is gradually rounding in to shape, but as Kapler explained “the fact that he’s doing some live baseball activity is promising. It does not mean his return is imminent.”
• Logan Webb (right shoulder strain) will pitch an inning in a simulated game.
• Second baseman Tommy LaStella left hamstring strain) jammed his thumb during a workout. X-rays were negative and Kapler did not consider it a long-term issue.