Giants Baseball Insider

SF Giants activate one top slugger, but place another on IL

The SF Giants welcomed outfielder Mike Yastrzemski back to the lineup on Monday but placed designated hitter Joc Pederson on the injured list.

Marc Delucchi

SF Giants activate one top slugger, but place another on IL
SF Giants activate one top slugger, but place another on IL /
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The SF Giants activated outfielder Mike Yastrzemski from the injured list on Monday. However, just as they welcome back one of their best left-handed sluggers to the lineup, they lost another. In a corresponding move, the Giants placed designated hitter Joc Pederson on the 10-day injured list with a right-hand contusion. Pederson was hit on the hand by right-handed pitcher Scott McGough while squaring to bunt during Friday's game against the Diamondbacks.

Yastrzemski had been on the injured list with a hamstring strain since May 1st. Yaz had been dealing with tightness in his leg and felt his hamstring pull, charging in on a bloop hit during a game in Mexico City. Prior to the injury, Yastrzemski had easily been the Giants best outfielder, hitting .292/.333/.521 with seven doubles and five home runs in 25 games alongside above-average defense in center field.

Pederson, who was the Giants lone offensive All-Star in 2022, returns to the injured list for the second time this season. Pederson dealt with wrist inflammation in April that sidelined him for a couple of weeks. With that said, when he's been in the lineup, Pederson has remained one of the team's most productive hitters. In 97 plate appearances this season, Pederson has posted a .235/.351/.494 triple-slash with five home runs.

The SF Giants would obviously prefer having both Mike Yastrzemski and Joc Pederson available, but Yaz's added defensive versatility should put manager Gabe Kapler in a preferable situation compared to the reverse. Pederson's injury opens the door for Wilmer Flores, J.D. Davis, Brandon Crawford, or Casey Schmitt (Giants #3 prospect) to receive some more playing time at designated hitter.

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Marc Delucchi
MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).

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