The San Francisco Giants have lost an entire outfield to injury this weekend. Austin Slater was placed on the 7-day concussion list Saturday after crashing into the outfield wall Friday night. On Sunday morning, Michael Conforto landed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring strain. He suffered the injury running the bases Saturday.
Then, during Sunday’s game with the Cincinnati Reds (GameTracker), Jung Hoo Lee crashed hard into the outfield wall and left the game with what the team called a left shoulder strain. Here’s the play:
Mike Yastrzemski is San Francisco’s only healthy full-time outfielder who was on the Opening Day roster. Erstwhile top prospect Heliot Ramos was called up earlier this week when Jorge Soler landed on the injured list. Utility men Tyler Fitzgerald and Brett Wisely are also on the roster.
“It means a lot,” Ramos said Saturday about being called up (via MLB.com). “I’m just trying to help the team. I’m trying to do my best. I’ve been trying since 2022 when I made my debut. I feel like I’m in a good spot. I just want to keep playing hard and trying to make the best of this opportunity.”
On the position player side, the Giants are currently without two outfielders (Conforto and Slater), their DH (Soler), their shortstop (Nick Ahmed), and their backup catcher (Tom Murphy). Starting catcher Patrick Bailey returned from the concussion list Saturday. He was the corresponding move for Slater.
The Giants are also without Blake Snell (groin), who made a minor-league rehab start Sunday. Alex Cobb (hip) and Robbie Ray (Tommy John surgery) are recovering from surgeries they underwent in 2023. Tristan Beck (aneurysm) and Ethan Small (oblique) got hurt in spring training.
San Francisco entered play Sunday with an 18-23 record and a minus-40 run differential that is fifth worst in the National League. They are scoring the sixth-fewest runs per game (3.63) and allowing the ninth-most runs per game (4.71). If a player isn’t hurt, chances are he’s underperforming.
The poor start and all the injuries have happened after an active offseason in which the Giants signed Lee, Soler, Snell, and Matt Chapman, and traded for Ray while he was injured. The hope was they’d help the club bounce back from a 79-83 showing in 2023. Instead, they’re on a worse pace.
