CHICAGO -- Denard Span's first week off the DL showed what a game-changer he can be when healthy. Unfortunately for the Giants, he's no longer healthy.
Span is out of the lineup Monday with a left thumb sprain and he's unlikely to be available Tuesday. Span has felt the discomfort for about a week and it got worse Sunday against the Cardinals.
"Yesterday was not fun. I got jammed the second at-bat and fouled a ball off and the rest of the game was bad," Span said, adding that hitting coach Hensley Meulens showed him video of his thumb instinctively coming off the bat during his later swings.
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Span said his palm is swollen right near the thumb, and he was wearing a wrap on the area Monday. He is 13-for-43 with two homers and six RBI since coming off the DL, helping with the turnaround. Prior to the last homestand, Span missed 17 games with a shoulder injury.