The SF Giants released several updates on injured players prior to the start of their three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Friday. With San Francisco's offense still unable to rekindle its early-season success, the potential return of some veteran bats could go a long way toward helping them stay in playoff position.
Outfielder Mitch Haniger is continuing to participate in some baseball activities and will take batting practice in the cage on Saturday. Haniger's big right-handed power could be a huge addition to the Giants' struggling lineup, although he only had a middling .653 OPS in 160 plate appearances prior to suffering a fractured forearm. However, Kapler seemed to imply that the biggest remaining speed bump in Haniger's rehab is not his fractured forearm but his back.
"I think his forearm's good," Kapler said. "I"m like not concerned about that. Obviously, he's had some back stuff happening. It's probably back stuff he's had over the years. He had back surgery a couple of years ago too. Just kind of working through that on his way back. But yeah, it's progressed nicely over the last couple of days."
Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski ran the bases prior to Friday's game and has resumed all baseball activities. Yastrzemski landed on the injured list with a hamstring injury for the third time this season earlier this month. He is eligible to be activated next week. Yaz has recorded a .233/.314/.439 triple-slash with 17 doubles, a triple, and 11 home runs in 285 plate appearances this season.
"My instinct is that he'll take a live BP tomorrow," Kapler said about Yastrzemski. "Assuming that all goes well, we're not far off. I don't want to give, obviously, an exact date, but should be good to go soon."
Reliever John Brebbia threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Friday, his second pen of the week. Kapler said Brebbia will have one more bullpen session before the team takes another step, which would likely be sending Brebbia on a minor-league rehab assignment.
Brebbia has been on the 15-day injured list with a Grade 2 lat strain since mid-June. Brebbia has made 29 appearances this season with the Giants, including nine appearances as an opener. He has a 3.14 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 10 walks across 28.2 innings pitched.
While Kapler did not comment on the injury status of top power-hitting prospect Marco Luciano, who recently left a Triple-A game with a hamstring injury, John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Luciano remains out and will undergo an examination on Saturday to determine the severity of the injury.
The SF Giants did not provide any updates on recently injured outfielder A.J. Pollock or starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani.
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