TODAY: Samardzija’s MRI revealed only a strained pectoral muscle, Andrew Baggarly writes in an updated piece. The right-hander will be rested for 10 days, according to Giants skipper Bruce Bochy, so a DL stint still looks imminent.
YESTERDAY: The Giants are concerned that right-hander Jeff Samardzija may have a shoulder injury according to reports. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was among the first to tweet the news. There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the situation, but “Shark” had an MRI today and is undergoing further examination on his throwing shoulder. Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic tweets that it’s “pretty clear he will begin the season on the DL.”
We’re still awaiting further news on the subject (including the actual results of the MRI itself), but the absence of Samardzija for any significant portion of the season would prove a huge blow to a Giants club that was expected to contend this season following an offseason overhaul of a roster that lost 98 games in 2017. Baggarly tweets that left-handed non-roster invite Derek Holland is an option to replace him in the rotation. Baggarly also adds that the team is unlikely to pursue any free agents at this point, as Bruce Bochy says the team is looking at internal options.
That would leave just Holland, Ty Blach and Chris Stratton as the club’s feasible options behind mainstays Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto. It’s also worth noting that the club has Tyler Beede (ranked the organization’s fourth-best prospect) set to begin the season at Triple-A. If the club were to explore free agents, they’d be parsing through a thin crop of remaining starters that includes Scott Feldman and Ubaldo Jimenez among the top remaining options.
The Giants were likely expecting another workhorse performance from the 33-year-old Samardzija, who’s one of just two pitchers in all of major league baseball to have thrown at least 200 innings in each of the past five seasons (the other being Max Scherzer). During that span, he’s put up a 4.10 ERA, and his 3.68 xFIP actually indicates that he’s pitched quite a bit better than that. He’s also struck out 8.09 batters per nine innings while limiting walks to just 2.18 per nine.
This can’t happen
Villain’s famous last words
As a Mets fan, let me tell you it can
that’s a shame
Wow, seems to be lots of players going down injured one week before reg season.
Happens every year.
Wow. After all these terrible starts he’s been saying he feels great and no one should worry. This really hurts the giants. Hopefully holland can actually pitch well as he has in the spring
That sucks. Pretty much seals the deal for Holland making the team, as Beede is looking more and more like a bust every time he touches a baseball.
Alex Cobb might have looked good in SF.
Corey Dickerson would have looked even better, but they wanted to be cheap. For good reason I suppose.
Best thing is that he doesn’t pitch at all. He has been BP for home run hitters for a while now and it only gets worse. He just doesn’t know how to keep the ball down. Cut your losses Evans. He was and is a terrible signing.
he isn’t worth his contract but it’s guaranteed and he’s better to have than not
Good luck, Jeff. 2017 candidate for Most underrated Pitcher in the game. (Due to OF)
He had 32 walks, 205 Strikeouts in 207 2/3 Innings, and only 9-15 record to show for it (Including 4.42 ERA)
Jeff Samardzija career-highlights:
5 straight seasons: 200+ IP, 32+ GS.
His 2017 FIP, and xFIP were 3.61, and 3.60.
Someone tell me why Shark allowed 32 Homers, 2017 (Which seems to be the cause for his high ERA, W-L)
Hope you’re healthy, Shark! I’m not even a SF fan. This guy was just the unluckiest starting pitcher in MLB, in 2017.
Do you also refer to yourself in the third person.
Every year its the “unlucky” excuse for Shark. You ever thought he might not be that good
Some pitchers get by based on an ability to limit hard contact, aka missing barrels as opposed to missing bats. Jeff Samardzija seems to be the opposite.
^^ exactly
I’m sorry but this is just rediculos sometimes fip is just not a good way to measure a pitture and this is one of them he is always had an era higher than this fip when it’s a trend that just means that’s how he pitches. if it was one season I would say he’s unlucky but it isn’t. sorry but he’s not very good
Yea cause the outfield caused everyone of his earned runs.
Just let one article about an injured player go by without your unique takes.
His 4.42 ERA was the 2nd highest mark of his career, mostly because Giants’ OF was worth -4.0 dWAR, and because Jeff endured two nightmares in Coors allowing 15 earned runs in 11.1 innings of work.
Also didn’t help, the Giants were ranked 29th in offense.
His 207.2 IP, led the National league, as did his 1.39 BB/9 (32 walks, 205 strikeouts)
If you have nothing substantial to bring up, walk away.
every single year is peripherals are better than is era and every single year he is quote on quote unlucky if it’s a trend it’s not luck it’s just that isn’t very good
The outfield doesn’t throw pitches down the middle of the plate, and when you throw a mid 90s fastball everyone hits it or hanging off speed down the middle. Samardijza is terrible
If he had better defense it would be better. Where did he say that all the runs were due to the outfield anyways?
Any chance of him being under rated gets erased with his awful contract.
agreed never been under rated just extremely over paid and a joke of a pitcher go play football
Why even bring up his record? Pitcher W/L record isn’t a real stat.
Bring on Ubaldo I guess. Heard Jake Peavy’s looking for another shot.
By the time they get ready he will be back
Really hoping this is just something minor being made into a bigger deal since the Giants love to manipulate the DL at the beginning of a season
“Expected to contend”? LOL
The panda will take the giants back to the World Series Ha!
Describing Ubaldo as one of top remaining options to me sounds like there are no option.
Derrick Holland to the rescue! Holland pitches really well in Samardzija absence and earns 5Th spot in rotation when Samardzija comes off DL.
Pectoral strains have taken Samardzija and Souza Jr. so far
This is what happens when you don’t upgrade the rotation like you should have. Evans makes another great case for his early retirement.
Quite convenient. The Giants get to keep Holland and Julian Fernandez while the Shark heals from the “strain”. That DL is quite handy.