SCOTTSDALE, Arizona – First baseman Rafael Devers is expected to return to the starting lineup Monday afternoon against the Los Angeles Angels at Scottsdale Stadium after missing the past week and a half with left hamstring strain.
Devers, 29, has played in just three Cactus League games this spring, the last on Feb. 26. He was originally in the starting lineup against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Feb. 27 but scratched before the first pitch.
“I think that would have been a day or two earlier, but a little warning on that,” manager Tony Vitello said Monday morning. “But then again, seeing the schedule makes it easier to be at home. He’ll probably play a road game before the deal is up, but it’s easier on his schedule as far as making sure he’s ready. It’s good to have him.”
Along with Devers, the Giants announced that outfielder Drew Gilbert (left shoulder impingement) started throwing Sunday and has been ruled out of DH for the spring games, while left-hander Erik Miller is scheduled to throw live in the bullpen on Tuesday.
Gilbert, 25, is one of several outfielders vying for a spot on the Opening Day roster but has fallen behind in the competition as he hasn’t appeared in a Cactus League game since Feb. 25. As all Giants starters currently competing in the World Baseball Classic, Will Brennan (1.079 OPS), Luis. OPS) made compelling cases to get the team out of camp.
“You have four, five, maybe six players who are players outside the big leagues,” said Vitello. “They’re going to take care of themselves, to a certain extent. I’m a big believer; there’s enough food on the table for everybody to eat. That’s not to say that on Opening Day you can play nine outfielders, but if those guys continue to improve and show what they can do, they’re going to get rewarded. They’re going to have their time there to show what they can do. It’s a good problem.”
Miller, 28, has yet to appear in a Cactus League game this spring, but he may have plenty of time to ramp up before the Giants’ first game of the season on March 25. Fellow left fielder Sam Hentges, who signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal this offseason, has yet to make a Cactus League start and is unlikely to make it on Opening Day.
While Gilbert and Miller are trending right, left-hander Reiver Sanmartin will miss three months after receiving an MRI that revealed a strain on his right hip flexor. The 29-year-old Sanmartin suffered the injury during Team Colombia’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates leading up to the World Baseball Classic.
Along with Sanmartin, 28-year-old right-hander Joel Peguero re-injured his left hamstring and suffered a Grade 2 strain that will keep him out of the Opening Day lineup.
“It’s hard to find him in a situation where he’s not smiling, but it’s clear he knew what he was looking for with a plan to fix the situation,” said Vitello.
With San Francisco’s bullpen already affected by injuries, the Giants have brought back left-hander Joey Lucchesi on a minor league deal with an invitation to major league spring training, a source confirmed to the news agency.
The 32-year-old Newark Memorial High graduate pitched well for San Francisco in his first season as a full-time reliever, posting a 3.76 ERA and 3.97 FIP over 38 1/3 innings, but the team made a surprise decision to non-tender Lucchesi last November. Given his experience and the Giants’ rash of injuries, Lucchesi has a perfect shot to make the Opening Day roster.
