SF Giants’ Kris Bryant held out of Saturday lineup with side tightness, avoids IL stint
Giants slugger Kris Bryant exited Friday's game with right side tightness.
ATLANTA — After exiting Friday’s game against the Braves in the first inning with right side tightness, Giants slugger Kris Bryant is being held out of Saturday’s lineup against Atlanta right-hander Huascar Ynoa.
Giants manager Gabe Kapler spoke after the team’s 6-4 loss to the Braves on Friday and said the club does not have long-term concerns about Bryant’s injury, but after the training staff reevaluated Bryant on Saturday, he’ll need at least one more day before returning to the lineup.
Kapler said Saturday that a MRI for Bryant “came back clean” and it’s possible he could be available off the bench if needed. The Giants are hopeful Bryant could be back in the starting lineup on Sunday, but his status will remain “day-to-day” and it’s possible he may not return until Monday.
The Giants had infielder Jason Vosler fly across the country Saturday to join the taxi squad in the event Bryant needed an injured list stint, but Vosler will not be activated.
Kapler said Friday Bryant experienced the tightness while checking his swing on an offering from Atlanta starter Max Fried in the first inning. Bryant played third base in the bottom of the first inning, but after a 35-minute rain delay, he departed the game and was replaced in the lineup by LaMonte Wade Jr.
The Giants shuffled their defense to accommodate Bryant’s absence as Wade played left field, Darin Ruf moved from left field to first base and Wilmer Flores shifted across the diamond from first base to take Bryant’s spot at third.
With Evan Longoria (right hand contusion) and Bryant out, Flores is starting Saturday’s game at third base while the Giants will use a lineup filled with all of their active left-handed hitters against the right-handed Ynoa.
After taking a day off on Friday, shortstop Brandon Crawford is back in the lineup against Fried while Wade, Alex Dickerson and Mike Yastrzemski will man the outfield for San Francisco. Tommy La Stella, the other left-handed batter, will start at second base.
DeSclafani expected to return from injured list
After missing a start in New York earlier this week with right ankle inflammation, Anthony DeSclafani is on track to return from the injured list and face the Braves in Sunday’s series finale.
Kapler said a bullpen session in Atlanta on Friday went well and the last box the right-hander needs to check to get “to the finish line” is playing catch on the field without issue at Truist Park on Saturday.
DeSclafani felt pain pushing off the rubber in a start against the Mets on August 18 at Oracle Park. The right-hander lasted just 1 1/3 innings against New York and despite initial optimism he would be able to avoid an injured list stint, the Giants gave DeSclafani a breather and recalled Sammy Long to face the Mets in his place on Tuesday at Citi Field.
Long threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the best outing of his brief major league career, but the rookie is now the likeliest candidate to be optioned to Triple-A when DeSclafani is activated on Sunday.
The Giants are also planning to activate Brandon Belt from the bereavement list Sunday after the first baseman returns from Texas. Belt’s maternal grandmother, Margaret Peterson, died earlier this week and Belt left the team Thursday to attend services.