Anthony DeSclafani left tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks due to a toe injury, Giants manager Gabe Kapler told media (including NBC Sports Bay Area). The right-hander cruised through five shutout innings before running into trouble in the sixth, allowing hits to his first three batters faced to load the bases. The third hit was a short grounder to the mound that Ketel Marte beat out for an infield single, and DeSclafani then exited the game after consulting with team trainers.
However, it wasn’t this particular play that caused the injury, but rather a somewhat unusual pre-existing problem. Kapler explained that “several weeks ago,” DeSclafani dropped a piano bench on his toe. “His toenail took the brunt of it, and so that was bothering him,” Kapler said. “He was able to continue pitching and felt good enough to keep rolling, but we had an eye on him as that nail was coming off and causing him quite a bit of pain. So monitored and monitored and finally went out there…and decided it was good to probably pull the plug on him there [tonight].”
DeSclafani clarified that his left big toe suffered the injury, and joked to MLB.com’s Maria I. Guardado and other reporters that he is “not a fan of pianos” after the incident. The bench “literally squared my toe up” as DeSclafani was helping his young son off the bench, leading to a lot of discomfort for the veteran hurler.
Given that DeSclafani seems to have been pitching through this injury for some time, it makes it all the more impressive that he was able to post strong numbers prior to his last couple of outings. Even with eight earned runs allowed over 10 innings in his last two starts, DeSclafani still has a 3.06 ERA over 50 innings of work this season. Statcast metrics weren’t as impressed with his work and a .258 BABIP indicates some measure of good fortune, though DeSclafani was helping his cause with a 2.3% walk rate that ranks among the league’s best.
It remains to be seen if DeSclafani will be placed on the injured list to let his toe and toenail fully heal. The Giants have an off-day on May 18, so the club could potentially keep the other four starters on regular rest and then skip DeSclafani’s next turn through the rotation, giving him more time to recuperate without a minimum 15-day absence on the IL.
In better injury news for San Francisco, Brandon Crawford is expected to return from the 10-day IL on Sunday, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale was the first to report. Crawford was (retroactively) placed on the IL on April 30 due to a right calf strain, though he didn’t expect to miss too much time. Indeed, Crawford is now poised to return to the Giants lineup after just two weeks.
After an underwhelming 2022 season, Crawford has gotten off to an even rougher start in 2023, hitting only .169/.244/.352 with four homers over 78 plate appearances. Even prior to the calf strain, Crawford had dealt with several minor injuries, beginning with some knee soreness that led to a cortisone injection and a lost week of Spring Training action. Crawford started the year on San Francisco’s Opening Day roster, but has also had some minor forearm and rib problems. It could be that this time on the IL acts as a reset for Crawford’s season, and allows him to properly heal from all of his nagging injuries.
X-rays were negative on Joc Pederson’s right hand after the veteran slugger was hit by a pitch in Friday’s game, struck by a Scott McGough fastball in the eighth inning. According to Guardado, the Giants had some concern that Pederson had suffered a fracture, but instead he’ll just be day-to-day in his recovery. Pederson didn’t play in today’s game against Arizona.
Through 97 PA this season, Pederson has hit .235/.351/.494 with five homers, translating to a very solid 128 wRC+. He already missed 11 days on the IL in April due to right wrist inflammation, so he and the Giants can only hope that his hand’s soreness doesn’t result in another visit to the injured list.
It’s going to be a very long year.
As the season rolls on the pitching is going to get worse SS. Not sniffing the playoffs anytime soon.
As the season rolls on the pitching is going to get worse. Not sniffing the playoffs anytime soon.
As the season rolls on the pitching is going to get worse SS. Not sniffing the playoffs anytime soon.
Why ?
I’m unclear what soulcrusher expects for the Giants as the season rolls on.
I wonder if they’ll sniff the playoffs anytime soon?
Is it a good thing that Crawford is returning soon? EStrada has been hitting well.
I wouldn’t have it as a bad thing. Estrada is better at second. Davis has all but secured himself third. The rookie Schmidt giving those 3 a day off is what Kapler seems to be saying.
It’s a bad thing in that if there is nothing wrong with him, then his poor play cannot be blamed on an injury. So that means Crawford is what he is, which is cooked.
Maybe. I’d like to see how he goes not playing every day.
You are seeing it right now. He hasn’t been able to kill a rally in weeks. His role going forward should be giving Schmidt an occasional day off, not being the starting shortstop. Looks like he is embracing his role as mentor though, and id expect nothing less.
Disco won’t be playing a concertoe anytime soon.
Etude, Brute?
Talk about keys to the game
Disco has given up eight runs in the last 12 innings, not 10, and all three runs with which he was charged last night scored as inherited runners against the lousy Giants bullpen
And the other 5 were in one bad 1st inning in which he came back out and put up another 6 scoreless. The man has been great. I’ve got him as the most under appreciated Giant.
He must be doing things mostly right.
Only he toe got benched.
MLB needs to quit coddling these pitchers who are unable to reasonably control their thrown balls. McGough should be immediately suspended from play for the same length of time that Pederson is unable to perform up to his best ability. The Giants lose a player, it’s only fair that the Diamondbacks lose the services of the player that directly caused the Giants to lose a player. Both the player and the team that caused missed time through the inability to properly control a pitched ball should be subject to consequences greater that just having to say the tired, outdated, ” OOPS, SORRY, It’s just part of the game !!” It’s NOT !!
Cool. Now do this same bs whenever a liner comes back and hits a pitcher. After all, a professional batter should be able to control where they hit the ball.
Hopefully the toe heals and Disco pitches all season like he has so far, he may bring in some prospects at the deadline if he does.
It’s sad that a .235 BA translates into anything “solid” but that is the baseball world we live in.