The Giants have placed right-hander Jakob Junis on the injured list and recalled catcher Joey Bart to take his place on the active roster, the team announced.
Junis has not pitched since Saturday, when he exited the Giants’ game against the Dodgers with pain in his neck. The injury has now been diagnosed as a cervical strain, and it will keep him on the shelf for the remainder of the regular season. The veteran right-hander has pitched well for San Francisco in a multi-inning role, tossing 86 innings in 40 games with a 3.87 ERA. Currently 4.5 games back in the Wild Card race, the Giants are still holding out hope for a postseason berth. If they manage to pull off a miraculous comeback, it’s possible Junis could rejoin the team in the playoffs.
Bart, once the Giants’ catcher of the future, is now the third-string backstop on the roster. Rookie sensation Patrick Bailey has become the everyday catcher, while his fellow first-year player Blake Sabol has been a capable backup. Meanwhile, Bart has faced numerous injury setbacks this year, and even when he’s been able to take the field, the 26-year-old has struggled to hit at both the major and minor league levels. Thus, it’s hard to guess what kind of role he’ll play over the final two series of the season. Presumably, the Giants will lean heavily on Bailey and Sabol behind the dish, at least until they are mathematically eliminated from contention.
MLB Top 100 Commenter
Opportunity to showcase Bart as trade bait!
hiflew
I was just going to ask if Bart still could qualify as a legit tradable asset instead of a “change of scenery” guy or a “throw in” guy. Which teams have a need for a young catcher? I’d love to see the Rockies pick him up, but I doubt the Giants will deal him there. Tigers, Marlins, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox?
What would it take to get him right now?
gfan
As a third string guy not much showcase opportunity on the bench.
KingOmar
Some clown once told me that Bart & Rutschman were equals.
That continually proves to be one of the best jokes ever.
BabeRuthAteLiveBabies
They weren’t even equals in college. Rutschman was leagues better than him back then.
Joey Bart is equal to Brett Cumberland.
KingOmar
Who also sat second fiddle to Rutschman in Norfolk, if memory serves…
SweetBabyRayKingsThickThighs
Mike Zunino Jr.
Edp007
Career says Joey and change last letter in surname from a t to an f
hiflew
That joke would work exactly the same by changing the first letter from a B to an F.
Edp007
Haha yes it would
skullbreathe
Why not LHP Miller? Three catchers on the 28-man?
Pickle_Britches
Bart is terrible. Prob the worst #1 pick the giants picked besides hunter bishop