The SF Giants were hopeful that outfielder Mike Yastrzemski could return to the lineup this week from the injured list. However, the team revealed on Monday that he suffered a setback in his rehab process and has been shut down. Yastrzemski was nearing a return but felt some soreness in his hamstring while he was running, which led the training staff to shut him down.
"Running is always the final test," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said during his pregame media availability on Monday. "You have this progression where you're running with good intent straight ahead, and then you run curves, and then you get on the bases. Once you're in that phase of running bases, you're days away."
Yastrzemski landed on the injured list with a hamstring injury for the third time this season earlier this month. When healthy, Yastrzemski has been one of the Giants' best outfielders this season. In 285 plate appearances, Yaz has hit .233/.314/.439 triple-slash with 17 doubles, a triple, and 11 home runs. Given how often Yastrzemski has had the same recurring issue, it's reasonable to wonder if he might be unable to return this season. However, Kapler pushed back against that idea.
"We've all been around seasons where players have had hamstring issues through the season," Kapler said. "Eventually, you get over the hump. That doesn't mean you don't continue to have hamstring issues because that's a thing, but I don't have any reason to believe he can't get healthy here in the next week or ten days and then have no more issues through the end of September and into the postseason."
With Yastrzemski out for a more prolonged period, the SF Giants will have an opportunity to give more playing time to some young outfielders. While Luis Matos was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Monday, recent call-ups Heliot Ramos (Giants #24 Prospect) and Wade Meckler (Giants #7 Prospect) will look to take advantage of the opportunity while Mike Yastrzemski tries to get back to 100%.
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