Even when healthy, the Giants are somewhat lacking in viable options for the middle of the order. Heading into Opening Day, two key bats are not healthy enough to play.
Manager Gabe Kapler said Monday that both Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria will miss Thursday's game against the Dodgers and start the season on the injured list. Belt has missed most of summer camp with a sore heel and Longoria tweaked his oblique last week and has not played since.
Belt had started nine consecutive openers at first base. Longoria was looking at his third opener with the Giants.
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"I don't think it's realistic at this point, being so close, that either Brandon or Evan are going to be ready for opening day," Kapler said. "I think it's going to be a few days into the season. We're hustling to get those guys ready as quickly as possible, but without the full-intensity running reps that Brandon and Evan need, they're just not quite going to be ready for the opening day assignment against the Dodgers."
That assignment is not a desirable one. The Giants will face Clayton Kershaw on Thursday night in the second game of MLB's 60-game season, and Belt in particular has had a rough time against him over the past decade. Still, the Giants already are entering the season without Buster Posey, and didn't need any more losses heading into a tough opening series.
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Kapler said it's possible that one or both players could return at some point during the series. The Giants are expected to face three left-handed starters in four games (Kershaw, Julio Urias, Alex Wood), making Longoria's injury particularly poor-timed.
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Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf, Austin Slater and possibly Joe McCarthy give Kapler options at first base, along with Pablo Sandoval, who is Longoria's backup at third. Flores and Mauricio Dubon also could be options there against lefties.
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