Injured San Francisco Giants Pitcher Suffers Alarming Setback

The hope that San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb could work through his latest injury suffered a setback.

Sep 19, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Alex Cobb. / Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Cobb has been recovering from hip labrum surgery since November. The San Francisco Giants aren’t sure when he’ll be back.

But it’s not because of his hip.

On Saturday, Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters, including NBC Sports Bay Area, that they’re shutting Cobb down for now as he has been unable to shake the shoulder soreness that has dogged him since last month.

Cobb, who joined San Francisco in 2022, won’t be ready for activation from the 60-day injured list when he’s eligible later this month.

The 36-year-old right-hander has already had an MRI on the shoulder that revealed no structural damage and has had a cortisone shot to try and help the pain subside. But it’s been stubborn, and at this time, the Giants want to give Cobb rest to see if the soreness goes away.

It’s a setback for the former Tampa Bay Rays fourth-round pick in 2006, who is 77-75 for his career and won seven games in each of his first two seasons with San Francisco.

Last September, the Giants put him on the injured list with a right him impingement, which led to surgery. Even after that, they triggered his 2024 contract option for $10 million.

This came the same day San Francisco got good news on left-hander Blake Snell, who ripped through a rehab assignment at Triple-A Sacramento on Friday and is likely to be activated from the 15-day injured list during the Giants’ next road trip, which starts against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.

But, there are still starting pitching issues for them to work through.

Right-hander Keaton Winn was placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday with a right forearm strain. San Francisco believes he will be ready to be activated when he is eligible to return.

The Giants have four other pitchers on the 60-day injured list, most notably former Seattle Mariners starter Robbie Ray, who is progressing through a throwing program in Arizona.